Sensory stimulation or monitoring apparatus for the back of neck

Abstract

Described herein are wearable sensory stimulation and monitoring devices that can be worn around the back of the neck along and in contact with the spine. The wearable device includes cuff, band and head cover members as form factors. Apparatuses described herein stimulate one or more senses including auditory, tactile or olfactory. Apparatuses are also described that allow for sensing and monitoring of physiologic parameters such as heart rate, blood pressure and movement. The device also has features that allow for easy attachment or integration to articles worn on the head such as augmented reality and virtual reality accessories to provide visual stimulation and entertainment.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wearable sensory stimulation apparatus comprising:
 a cuff or band member adapted to be positioned at least partially circumferential on or around a user's neck; and   a housing member or module comprising at least one vibration speaker or vibration transduction component electrically coupled to a power source located therein, the housing module adapted to be supported by the cuff or band member and adapted to be positioned on a back of the user's neck, and   wherein the at least one vibration speaker or vibration transduction component within the housing member includes an RF module operatively coupled to the transduction component and is adapted to receive a wired or wireless signal from a signal generating output device,   wherein the wired or wireless signal from the signal generating device provides the vibration speaker or vibration transduction component digital media that becomes sensory vibrational stimulation.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the band member includes a flexible and stretchable non-rigid material adapted to prevent low frequency vibrational bleed through from the at least one vibration speaker or vibration transduction component to the user's ears. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the housing is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of a plastic, metal and a plastic-metal composite. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a set of wired or wireless in-ear or over-ear audio delivery devices operatively coupled to the RF module and to at least one vibration speaker or vibration transduction component supported by the cuff or band member. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising at least one of an augmented reality (AR) accessory, a virtual reality (VR) accessory and a mixed reality (MR) accessory attachable to the cuff or band member. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the housing member and the transduction component are adapted to receive audio vibrational sensory content and digital data and deliver same to the user. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a portable case for the cuff or band member and the housing member, the portable case adapted to include electrical contacts for charging a battery within the housing member. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein each of the AR, VR and MR accessories are adapted to provide at least video or visual images to the user. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the housing member further comprises a neck monitoring module electrically coupled to the power source and adapted to be operatively coupled to the spine of the user, the neck monitoring module adapted to transdermally sense or detect and transmit physiological data of the user to an external device. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the virtual reality accessory is selected from a group consisting of VR goggles, VR helmet, VR headset, display screen or TV, VR olfactory device and a lens or lenses a VR headset. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the augmented reality accessory is selected from a group consisting of AR wearable glasses or goggles, an AR eye piece, an AR video projection device, an AR lens or lenses, a helmet and an AR olfactory device. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 4  as part of a system further comprising a portable case for encasing the cuff or band member and the housing member, the portable case adapted to include electrical contacts for charging the power source within the housing member and for charging the set of earphones. 
     
     
         13 . A system for providing a user or audiophile stimuli to multiple parts of a user's body comprising:
 a wearable housing member including at least one of a vibration speaker and transduction component electrically coupled to a power source located therein, wherein there is further included an RF module operatively coupled to the transduction component;   a wearable audio listening device selected from the group consisting of a set of earphones, headphones, a helmet and a headset; and   a signal generation output device adapted to wirelessly pair with the housing member and with the wearable listening device thereby providing stimuli to the user simultaneously from both the transduction component and the wearable audio listening device, wherein wireless signals from the signal generating output device provide the vibration speaker or vibration transduction component digital media that becomes sensory vibrational stimulation and provide audio digital media simultaneously to the user.   
     
     
         14 . The system of claim of  13  wherein the wireless signals include components for each of the audio listening device and vibration speaker and transduction component. 
     
     
         15 . A wearable sensory stimulation neck apparatus comprising:
 a housing member comprising at least one vibration speaker or vibration transduction component electrically coupled to a power source located therein and wherein there is included an RF module operatively coupled to the transduction component, the housing member adapted to be positioned on a back of a user's neck and over an uppermost portion of a spine of the user, and   wherein an outer portion of the housing member includes an attachment member adapted to attach or adhere the housing member to the user's neck, wherein at least one vibration speaker or vibration transduction component within the housing member is adapted to receive a wired or wireless signal from a signal generating output device via the RF module, and wherein the wired or wireless signal from the signal generating output device provides the vibration speaker or vibration transduction component digital media that becomes sensory vibrational stimulation.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15  further comprising at least one of an augmented reality (AR) accessory, a virtual reality (VR) accessory and a mixed reality (MR) accessory operatively coupled to the housing member or module. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the housing member and the transduction component are adapted to receive vibrational sensory content and digital data and deliver same to the user. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein each of the AR, VR and MR accessories are adapted to provide at least video or visual images to the user. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the at least one vibration speaker or vibration transduction component within the housing are each adapted to receive a wired or wireless signal from a multiple signal source output device via the RF module, wherein the signal from the multiple source output device provides the wired or wireless in-ear or over-ear audio delivery devices with audio sensory stimulation and provides the vibration speaker or vibration transduction component digital media that becomes tactile vibrational stimulation upon the AR accessory being activated. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the wired or wireless in-ear or over-ear audio devices and the at least one vibration speaker or vibration transduction component within the housing are each adapted to receive a wired or wireless signal from a multiple signal source output device via the RF module, with the signal from the multiple source output device providing the ear audio devices with audio sensory stimulation and providing the vibration speaker or vibration transduction component digital media that becomes tactile vibrational stimulation upon the VR accessory being activated. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the housing member further comprises a neck monitoring module adapted to be operatively coupled to the spine of the user, the neck monitoring module adapted to transdermally sense or detect and transmit physiological data via the RF module to an external device. 
     
     
         22 . A system for delivering tactile vibrational energy to an uppermost portion of a user's spine and neck comprising:
 a head cover member adapted to be positioned at least partially circumferential on or around a user's head and disposed adjacent the user's neck; and   at least one vibration speaker or vibration transduction component operatively coupled to a power source and an RF module, wherein the transduction component is located in or about the head cover member,   wherein a received wired or wireless signal from a signal generating device provides via the RF module the vibration speaker or vibration transduction component digital media that becomes sensory vibrational stimulation to the user's head and neck.   
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22  wherein the head cover is selected from the group consisting of a helmet, a construction hardhat, a baseball cap, an inflatable head cover or wrap, a knit or cloth hat, and a wearable head frame. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 22  further including at least one of a physiological sensor or a neck monitoring module supported by the head cover member and operatively coupled to the RF module, wherein the sensor or monitoring module is operatively coupled to the user's neck and spine to detect physiological data, the physiological data being transmittable to an external device. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 22  wherein at least one of an augmented reality (AR) accessory, a virtual reality (VR) accessory and a mixed reality (MR) accessory attachable to the head cover member. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 22  wherein the head cover member and the transduction component are adapted to receive vibrational sensory content and digital data via the RF module and deliver same to the user. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  25  wherein each of the AR, VR and MR accessories are adapted to provide at least one of a video image, visual images or audio to the user. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 25  wherein the at least one vibration speaker or vibration transduction component within the housing are each adapted to receive via the RF module a wired or wireless signal from a multiple signal source output device, wherein the signal from the multiple source output device provides a wired or wireless in-ear or over-ear audio delivery devices with audio sensory stimulation and provides the vibration speaker or vibration transduction component digital media that becomes tactile vibrational stimulation upon the AR accessory being activated. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 25  wherein a wired or wireless in-ear or over-ear audio devices and the at least one vibration speaker or vibration transduction component within the housing are each adapted to receive via the RF module a wired or wireless signal from a multiple signal source output device, with the signal from the multiple source output device providing ear audio devices with audio sensory stimulation and providing the vibration speaker or vibration transduction component digital media that becomes tactile vibrational stimulation upon the VR accessory being activated. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 22  further including a housing member configured to encase the vibration or transduction component, the RF module and the power source, the housing member adapted to be operatively coupled to the head cover member and adapted to be positioned on a back of the user's neck. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 22  wherein the head cover member comprises a flexible and stretchable non-rigid material adapted to prevent low frequency vibrational bleed through from the at least one vibration speaker or vibration transduction component to the user's ears. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 22  further comprising a set of wired or wireless in-ear or over-ear audio delivery devices operatively coupled to the at least one vibration speaker or vibration transduction component supported by the head cover member. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 22  further comprising a portable case for at least the head cover member and adapted to include electrical contacts for charging at least the power source. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 30  wherein the housing member is adapted to be attachable to the head cover member with an attachment device, the attachment device selected from the group consisting of a clip or clasp, a hook and loop assembly, a snap button and a magnetic clasp. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 22  wherein the head cover member is operable with a hearing aid accessory.