Patent ID: 9352157
Filing Date: 2016-05-31
CPC Classification: A61N

Claim Text:
1. A device for vestibular substitution for use within a person's mouth, the person's mouth comprising a roof of the mouth, the device configured to provide alternative sensory feedback of head movement through electrical stimulation on the roof of the mouth, the device comprising: a mouthpiece fitting entirely within the person's mouth, the mouthpiece configured to conform to the roof of the mouth, the mouthpiece comprising a circuit board encased therein, the circuit board defining an electronic system that, in an normal operation mode, generates electrical pulses automatically in response to head tilt and/or head movement without positioning any components outside of the person's mouth, the electronic system comprising: a motion sensor configured to detect head tilt or head movement; a control unit configured to generate pulse frequency modulation in which the magnitude of acceleration due to head tilt or head movement corresponds to the frequency of electric pulses; a stimulation circuit; and a battery; the mouthpiece further comprising a plurality of embedded electrical stimulators which when the mouthpiece is installed within the person's mouth, the embedded electrical stimulators are in contact with the roof of the mouth, and wherein the embedded electrical stimulators are connected to the electronic system such that each embedded electrical stimulator in the plurality of embedded electrical stimulators can receive the electrical pulses from the electronic system and transmit the electrical pulses to the roof of the mouth.