Physiologically Interactive Music– Biofeedback and Medical Technologies with Music

Utah State University
posted on 05/15/2009

Utah State University is seeking a company interested in commercializing a technology using music to enhance biofeedback methods in new ways. With the size and cost of electronics shrinking, interest in alternative medicine increasing, and individuals seeking new ways to cope with highly stressful lifestyles, the biofeedback industry is expecting a tremendous boost. Addressing this market need, a researcher at Utah State University has developed a new method for enhancing biofeedback methods through music. Physiologically Interactive Music (PIM) adjusts the tempo (or other musical elements) within a music selection in a mathematical relationship to a physiological or motor response (i.e. heart or respiration rates, gait, etc.) in order to entrain and modify the response. Methods include altering the tempo of the music or overlaying an independent track to any kind of existing music. Broad market opportunities exist in the biofeedback and physical therapy areas.

Suggested Uses

• Biofeedback/stress reduction for:
• Chronic pain/insomnia
• Headaches/anxiety
• Diabetes/TMJ syndrome
• High blood pressure

• Physical therapy/rhythmic gait training
• Rehabilitation therapy
• Respiratory therapy
• Mechanical ventilation/weaning
• Oxygen-deprived environments
• Reducing anxiety in sedation
• Reducing space motion sickness

Advantages

• Using preprogrammed protocols,
interactive music serves as a personal
coach, prompting, supporting, and
motivating responses
• Interactive music increases user
relaxation through focus on music,
instead of continually monitoring
visual feedback or adhering to
periodic auditory cues (beeps, clicks
etc.)
• Listening to preferred interactive
music elicits and maintains attention
and distracts from pain

Innovation Details

Detailed Description

Using music of the listener’s choice or from a predetermined menu, PIM enables control of an activity’s frequency (e.g. respiration) through a method that presents the listener with a combined base track of prerecorded music (base tempo) and a rhythmic musical track (activity tempo). The activity tempo, which can be preprogrammed, manual, or interactive based on sensor feedback, is altered to influence the pace of the activity. For example, because respiration rates are slower than music tempos, a special instrumental track (swelling strings, etc.) is added over the base tempo of a music selection to prompt inhalations and exhalations. The base track is continuously synchronized with the activity track. For the first time, enhanced instrumental tracks at secondary tempos can interact with physiological and motor responses in relation to the base tempo to serve therapeutic functions.

File Number: W07045c

Disease: Respiratory and Pulmonary System

Other Information:

One issued patent and one pending utility application:
U.S. Patent Application
U.S. Patent No. 5,267,942

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