Patent Publication Number: US-2017368343-A1

Title: Memories alive

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The present disclosure relates generally to systems and methods to improve physical and psychological conditions of a patient who suffers from communication and/or memory impairment. 
     Millions of individuals around the world suffer from communication and/or memory impairments caused by various neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer&#39;s and other dementias, post-traumatic stress disorder (“PTSD”), traumatic brain injury, stroke, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, autism, as well as other conditions that adversely affect communication and/or mental capacities of said individuals. Despite vast technological and medical advances, cures for diseases and/or disorders that cause many of the foregoing communication and memory impairments remain elusive. As such, millions of individuals experience conditions attributed to and/or caused by different communication and/or memory impairments with little means to improve said impairments. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Illustrative embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing Figures, which are incorporated by reference herein, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a network environment for providing positive stimuli to a patient suffering from a communication and/or memory impairment in accordance with one embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a flow chart that illustrates a process to provide positive stimuli to a patient suffering from a communication and/or memory impairment in accordance with one embodiment. 
         FIG. 3A  is a flow chart that illustrates a process to dynamically formulate new stimuli based on the patient&#39;s responses to stimuli in accordance with one embodiment. 
         FIG. 3B  is a flow chart that illustrates a process to dynamically formulate new stimuli based on the patient&#39;s responses to stimuli in accordance with another embodiment. 
     
    
    
     The illustrated figures are only exemplary and are not intended to assert or imply any limitation with regard to the environment, architecture, design, or process in which different embodiments may be implemented. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the following detailed description of the illustrative embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that logical structural, mechanical, and electrical, changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. To avoid detail not necessary to enable those skilled in the art to practice the embodiments described herein, the description may omit certain information known to those skilled in the art. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the illustrative embodiments is defined only by the appended claims. 
     The present disclosure relates to systems and methods to provide a patient suffering from an adverse mental condition with positive stimuli. In one embodiment, a software and/or firmware application (“application”) running on an electronic device is operable to obtain data indicative of a current condition of a patient. The current condition of the patient may be based on a combination of the patient&#39;s physical conditions and psychological conditions as determined by sensors that are operable to monitor one or more physical and/or physiological conditions of the patient. The current condition may also be determined by the patient&#39;s caregiver (e.g., nurse, doctor, family member). Examples of the patient&#39;s physical condition include the patient&#39;s heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen level, breathing patterns, glucose level, cortisol, pedometer, endorphins, appetite, weight, reliance on medication, urinary output as well as other assessable physical conditions of the patient. Further, examples of the patient&#39;s psychological conditions include the patient&#39;s mood, anxiety, self-awareness, cognizance, responsiveness, as well as other assessable psychological conditions of the patient. 
     The application then assesses prior patient data of the patient to identify stimulus previously experienced by the patient that are triggered a positive response from the patient. A stimulus may be associated with a text, an image, a sound, a recording, or a type of multimedia content the patient has previously experienced. For example, the stimulus may be an artwork painted by the patient, a song composed by the patient, an image of the patient, a video recording of the patient&#39;s children, as well as other experiences of the patient that are captured by text, image, sound, video recording, or another mechanism. Further, the stimulus may also be associated with an activity, such as a dance routine, a game, a sing-along, or another activity the patient has previously participated in or has experienced. As defined herein a positive response is a response that immediately improves the patient&#39;s condition, improves the patient&#39;s condition over short duration, and/or improves the patient&#39;s condition over a prolonged duration. The stimulus may trigger an immediate positive response, such as a positive change in the patient&#39;s mood, an improvement in conversational skills, or other positive responses that are noticeable immediately or almost immediately after the patient has experienced the stimulus. The stimulus may also trigger a positive response that occurs at a later time, such as an improvement in sleeping pattern, an improvement in short/long term memory, a decrease in medication intake, an increase in daily grooming, a reduction in fear-associated behaviors, a reduction in anxiety-associated behaviors, a reduction in assistance from caregivers, an increase in social interactions, as well as other positive responses that may occur within a period of time after the patient experiences the stimulus. In some circumstances, the stimulus may also trigger a negative response, a neutral response, or no response from the patient. The application is operable to categorize each response into one the foregoing types of responses and to determine why the stimulus generated a certain type of response and to limit future recommendations to positive responses. 
     The application then provides a recommendation for the patient to experience the stimulus. In some embodiments, the recommendation is provided for display on the same electronic device the application operates on. In other embodiments, the recommendation is provided for display on another electronic device that is deployed within proximity of the patient. In further embodiments, the recommendation is communicated to the caregiver. The recommendation may also include instructions to the caregiver on how the stimulus should be presented to the patient. 
     The patient&#39;s response to the stimulus is monitored and assessed. In some embodiments, the patient&#39;s response is automatically monitored by the sensors that are connected to the patient and data indicative of the patient&#39;s response are provided to the application. In other embodiments, the patient&#39;s response is manually monitored by the caregiver and data recorded by the caregiver and indicative of the patient&#39;s response are provided to the application. Data indicative of the patient&#39;s response are then stored on a storage medium containing prior patient data of the patient. 
     The application may continuously and/or periodically provide recommendations of additional stimulus to the patient to improve the patient&#39;s condition. The application may also formulate new stimulus based on the patient&#39;s current condition as well as the patient&#39;s responses to stimulus provided to the patient. Moreover, the application may compare the stimulus with one or more similar stimuli to determine why the stimulus triggered a particular response from the patient. The application may also formulate new stimuli to trigger more positive responses from the patient. As such, the application may dynamically learn from the patient&#39;s recent behaviors to become better tailored towards the patient&#39;s conditions, and dynamically provide stimuli that trigger positive responses from the patient. Additional details of systems and methods for providing the patient with positive stimuli are provided in the paragraphs below and are illustrated in at least  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
     Now turning to the figures,  FIG. 1  is a network environment  100  for providing a patient suffering from a communication and/or a memory impairment with positive stimuli in accordance with one embodiment. The network environment  100  includes a first electronic device  104  placed within proximity of a patient  102  and a caregiver  103 . As defined herein, the caregiver  103  includes any individual who operates the first electronic device  104  to provide one or more stimuli to the patient  102 . Examples of the caregiver  103  include doctors, nurses, acquaintances, friends, relatives, as well as other individuals authorized to operate the first electronic device  104 . The first electronic device  104  includes any electronic device operable to obtain data indicative of a current condition of the patient  102 , determine which stimulus the patient should experience to trigger a positive response from the patient, provide the stimulus for display, and receive data indicative of the patient&#39;s response to the stimulus. Although  FIG. 1  illustrates the first electronic device  104  as a tablet computer, the first electronic device  104  may also be implanted as a smartphone, laptop computer, desktop computer, smart television, electronic watch, PDA, as well as similar electronic devices having hardware, software, and/or firmware that are operable to perform the operations described in the foregoing sentences. Additional operations performed by the first electronic device  104  are provided herein and are illustrated in at least  FIGS. 2, 3A, and 3B . 
     The network environment  100  further includes a storage medium  110  that is communicatively connected to the first electronic device  104  via network  106 . The storage medium  110  may be formed from data storage components such as, but not limited to, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), flash memory, magnetic hard drives, solid state hard drives, CD-ROM drives, DVD drives, floppy disk drives, as well as other types of data storage components and devices. In some embodiments, the storage medium  110  includes multiple data storage devices. In further embodiments, the multiple data storage devices may be physically stored at different locations. In one of such embodiments, the data storage devices are components of a server station, such as a cloud server. In another one of such embodiments, the data storage devices are components of a local management station of a facility the patient  102  is staying at. The storage medium  110  includes data indicative of a history of the patient&#39;s prior conditions, stimuli previously experienced by the patient, as well as the patient&#39;s responses to said stimuli. In some embodiments, the storage medium  110  also includes instructions to determine which stimulus the patient should experience to trigger positive responses from the patient, instructions to provide the stimulus for display, instructions to receive data indicative of the patient&#39;s response to the stimulus, as well as other instructions described herein to provide the patient  102  with positive stimuli. 
     In some embodiments, the storage medium  110  further includes a behavior databank  112 . The behavior databank  112  contains a compilation of analytical and quantitative data indicative of multiple patients&#39; prior conditions, stimuli experienced by said patients, and said patients&#39; responses to said stimuli. In one of such embodiments, data stored in the behavior databank  112  are categorized by patient condition, stimulus, and patient response to a stimulus. Moreover, the behavior databank  112  contains a compilation of stimuli presented to patients suffering from a condition. For example, the behavior databank  112  includes data indicative of patients that experienced a condition characterized by high blood pressure and heart rate of 100-110 (hereafter referred to as the “first general condition”). Further, the behavior databank  112  also includes data indicative of different stimuli disclosed herein that were presented to patients that experienced the first general condition, as well as responses of the patients that experienced the first general condition. Continuing with the foregoing example, the behavior databank  112  includes data that indicate a first general condition of disorientation was experienced 1,000times, a picture of a patient with a grandchild was presented 800 times in response to the first general condition and triggered 600 positive reactions, a video of a patient with family at a holiday was presented 750 times and triggered 700 positive reactions, and a song associated with a patient&#39;s childhood was played 600 times and triggered 300 positive reactions. The first electronic device  104  is operable to access the behavior databank  112  to obtain analytical and quantitative data stored in the behavior databank  112 , analyze said analytical and quantitative data, and provide recommendations based on said analytical and quantitative data. Additional descriptions of operations performed by the first electronic device  104  to retrieve analytical and quantitative data from the behavior database, assess said analytical and quantitative data, and provide recommendations based on said analytical and quantitative data are provided in the below paragraphs. In one of such embodiments, data stored in the behavior databank  112  are not associated with patient identities. As such, while the behavior databank  112  contains data indicative of conditions of different patients associated with categories of stimulus with a high probability of improving such condition, the data does not identify which patients experienced said conditions. Although the storage medium  110  of  FIG. 1  is illustrated to be stationed at a remote location relative to the first electronic device, in some embodiments, the storage medium  110  is stationed at a local location relative to the first electronic device  104 , or is a subcomponent (e.g., an internal and/or external storage medium) of the first electronic device  104 . 
     The network  106  can include, for example, any one or more of a cellular network, a satellite network, a personal area network (PAN), a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a broadband network (BBN), a RFID network, a Bluetooth network, a device to device network, the Internet, and the like. Further, the network  106  can include, but is not limited to, any one or more of the following network topologies, including a bus network, a star network, a ring network, a mesh network, a star-bus network, tree or hierarchical network, or similar network architecture. The network  106  may be implemented using different protocols of the internet protocol suite such as TCP/IP. The network  106  includes one or more interfaces for data transfer. In some embodiments, the network  106  includes a wired or wireless networking device (not shown) operable to facilitate one or more types of wired and wireless communication between the first electronic device  104 , the storage medium  110 , as well as other electronic devices (not shown) communicatively connected to the network  106 . Examples of the networking device include, but are not limited to, wired and wireless routers, wired and wireless modems, access points, as well as other types of suitable networking devices described herein. Examples of wired and wireless communication include, Ethernet, WiFi, Cellular, LTE, GPS, Bluetooth, RFID, as well as other types of communication modes described herein. In some embodiments, the caregiver  103  and/or another authorized individual may utilize the first electronic device  104  to transmit data indicative of the condition of the patient  102 , data indicative of stimuli provided to the patient  102 , data indicative of the patient&#39;s response to stimuli, as well as other similar data over the network  106  to another electronic device (not shown) that is communicatively connected to the network  106 . 
     The first electronic device  104  is operable to receive data indicative of a current condition of the patient  102 . In some embodiments, the current condition of the patient  102  is detected by one or more sensors  105  that are communicatively connected to the first electronic device  104 . Moreover, the sensors  105  are operable to detect one or more physical and/or psychological conditions of the patient  102 . The sensors  105  may include thermometers, heartrate sensors, blood pressure sensors, oxygen level sensors, digital scales, nano-sensors, brainwave sensors, as well as other sensors that are operable to detect one or more physical and/or psychological conditions of the patient  102 . In another one of such embodiments, the current condition of the patient  102  is determined by the caregiver  103  and is manually provided to the first electronic device  104 . 
     The first electronic device  104 , upon receipt of the current condition of the patient  102 , accesses the storage medium  110  for prior patient data of the patient  102 . As stated herein, the prior patient data includes data indicative of stimuli previously experienced by the patient  102  as well as data indicative of how the patient  102  responded to said stimuli. The first electronic device  104  queries the prior patient data to identify a prior condition of the patient (“a prior condition”) that is similar and/or identical to the current condition. Whether a prior condition is similar to the current condition may be predetermined by the caregiver  103 . For example, the caregiver  103  may have predetermined that a prior condition where the patient was visibly distressed, lacked appetite for food, and had a heart rate within a range of 65-75 (hereafter referred to as “the first prior condition”) would be considered similar to a current condition where the patient is visibly distressed, lack appetite for food, and has a heart rate of 70. Further, whether a prior condition is similar to a current condition may also be adjusted by the caregiver  103  or dynamically modified by the first electronic device  104 . In some embodiments, the first electronic device  104  provides a list of one or more prior patient conditions for display and the caregiver  103  may select a prior condition the caregiver  103  considers is most similar to the current condition of the patient  102 . 
     Once the first electronic device  104  identifies a prior condition, the first electronic device  104 , assesses the prior patient data to determine a first stimulus that triggered a positive response from the patient  102  while the patient  102  experienced the prior condition. As stated herein, a stimulus may be associated with a textual, image, audio, visual, audiovisual, multimedia content the patient  102  has previously experienced, an activity the patient  102  has previously participated in, or another type of content, event, and/or action the patient  102  has previously experienced. 
     A positive response from the patient  102  may be one or more responses described herein that immediately improves the current condition of the patient  102 , improves the condition of the patient  102  over a short duration, and/or improves the condition of the patient  102  over a long duration. Continuing with the previous example, the first electronic device  104  may determine that when a picture of the patient&#39;s newborn son (hereafter referred to as “the first stimulus”) was provided to the patient  102  while the patient  102  experienced the first prior condition, the first stimulus caused the patient to become less distressed(immediate positive response). Further, the patient  102  became more socially engaging with the caregiver  103  over the next hour (positive response over a short term). 
     In some embodiments, the first electronic device  104  also accesses the behavior database of the storage medium  110  to determine whether other patients have also experienced the first prior condition, which stimuli were presented to the other patients, as well as how the other patients responded to the stimuli. Continuing with the previous example, the first electronic device  104  determines that 100 other patients have experienced the first prior condition, that a video of a family member (hereafter referred to as the “first universal stimulus”) was presented to the 100 patients while said 100 patients experienced the first prior condition, and that the first universal stimulus triggered a positive reaction from 85 patients, which is a positive response rate of 85%. The first electronic device  104  then determines whether the first universal stimulus triggered a positive response at a rate that is greater than a threshold value and generates a recommendation to provide the first universal stimulus to the patient  102  if the positive patient response rate is greater than the threshold value. The first electronic device  104 , upon determining the patient&#39;s response to the first universal stimulus, provides the patient&#39;s response to the behavior databank  112 , where the behavior databank  112  is updated to include the patient&#39;s response. 
     In some embodiments, an identity of the caregiver who provides the stimulus to the patient  102  affects the response of the patient  102 . For example, presenting the patient with the first stimulus may not trigger a response from the patient  102  if the picture if the first stimulus is presented by a caregiver who is not related to the patient  102 . As such, the first electronic device  104  would not select the first stimulus if the current caregiver  103  is not related to the patient  102 . 
     In some embodiments, multiple different stimuli triggered positive responses from the patient  102  while the patient  102  experienced the first prior condition. In one of such embodiments, the first electronic device  104  selects a stimulus that triggered the most positive response from the patient  102  while the patient  102  experienced the first prior condition. For example, the patient  102  was once presented a picture of a non-relative of the patient  102  (hereafter referred to as “the second stimulus”) while the patient  102  experienced the first prior condition. Although the second stimulus caused the patient to become less distressed, the patient  102  did not become more socially engaging in response to the second stimulus. As such, the first stimulus triggered a more positive reaction relative to the second stimulus, and is thus selected by the first electronic device  104 . 
     The first electronic device  104 , upon selecting a stimulus, such as the first stimulus, provides a recommendation for the patient  102  to experience the stimulus, where the recommendation together with the first stimulus are displayed on a display screen of the first electronic device  104 . In some embodiments, where the stimulus is associated with content, the content is provided for display on a display screen of the first electronic device  104 . In other embodiments, where the stimulus is associated with an activity, instructions regarding how the patient  102  should engage in such activity, instructions regarding how the caregiver  103  should provide such activity, as well as other instructions regarding the activity and the one or more participants of the activity are provided for display on the display screen. Additional information, such as instructions on when the stimulus should be presented to the patient  102 , how the stimulus should be presented to the patient  102 , who should present the stimulus to the patient  102 , one or more alternative stimuli that may be provided to the patient  102 , as well as other instructions for providing the stimulus may also be provided for display on the display screen of the first electronic device  104  to help the caregiver  103  better present the stimulus. 
     The stimulus triggers a response from the patient  102 . As defined herein, the patient&#39;s response may include a positive response, a negative response, a neutral response, or a lack of a response. In some embodiments, the patient&#39;s response is picked up by the sensors  105  and is transmitted by the sensors  105  to the first electronic device  104 . In other embodiments, the caregiver  103  manually provides the patient&#39;s response to the first electronic device  104 . In further embodiments, sensor components (not shown) of the first electronic device  104  are operable to detect and obtain the patient&#39;s response. The first electronic device  104 , upon receipt of the patient&#39;s response, stores data indicative of the response on the storage medium  110 , where the response becomes a part of the patient&#39;s prior history that may be used to determine which stimulus should be provided to the patient  102  in the future. The first electronic device  104  may categorize the response as a positive response, a negative response, a neutral response, or a lack of response. Moreover, the first electronic device  104  may arrange data indicative of one of the patient&#39;s responses based on one of the foregoing categories. 
     The electronic device  104  may continue to provide additional stimuli to the patient  102  to further improve the patient&#39;s current condition. Continuing with the previous example, the first stimulus to the patient  102  triggered a positive response from the patient  102 , and improved the patient&#39;s current condition from visibly distressed to not visibly distressed and from being not socially engaging to being more socially engaging. However, the patient&#39;s current condition still indicates that the patient lacks appetite for food. The first electronic device  104  assesses the prior patient data for a prior condition that is similar and/or identical to the current condition. The first electronic device  104  identifies a prior condition where the patient  102  was not visibly distressed, was socially engaging, lacked appetite, and had a heart rate between 62-77 (hereafter referred to as the “second prior condition”), and determines that the second prior condition is similar and/or identical to the current condition of the patient. 
     The first electronic device  104  then assesses the prior patient data to determine a stimulus that triggered a positive response from the patient  102  while the patient  102  experienced the second prior condition. Continuing with the previous example, the first electronic device  104  determines that when the caregiver  103  engaged in a conversation with the patient  102  about sushi and showed the patient  102  images of sashimi (hereafter collectively referred to as “the third stimulus”) while the patient  102  experienced the second prior condition, the patient&#39;s gained appetite and expressed interest in having a meal. The first electronic device  104  then provides a recommendation for the patient to experience the third stimulus, where the third stimulus together with instructions on how to present the third stimulus are provided for display on the display screen of the first electronic device  104 . The patient&#39;s response to the third stimulus is detected by the sensors  105 , inputted by the caregiver  103 , and/or detected by sensor components of the first electronic device  104 . In some embodiments, the foregoing process for providing additional stimuli may continue for a predetermined number of iterations. In further embodiments, the foregoing process for providing additional stimuli may be periodically performed by the first electronic device  104 . 
     In some embodiments, the first electronic device  104  analyzes each stimulus provided to the patient  102  and each corresponding response triggered by the stimulus to identify a set of parameters that define how to present the stimulus. Parameters that define how to present the stimulus include how the stimulus was previously presented to the patient  102 , how the patient  102  experienced the stimulus, the identity of an individual that appears in the stimulus, the date and time the stimulus was presented to the patient  102 , the number of times the stimulus has been presented to the patient  102  over an operational duration, the total number stimuli that have been presented to the patient  102  over the duration, as well as other quantifiable parameters. 
     In one of such embodiments, where the patient  102  experienced the first prior condition on two separate occasions, and the first stimulus triggered two different responses from the patient  102  when the first stimulus was presented on the two occasions, the first electronic device  104  is operable to assess the parameters that define how to present first stimulus to determine whether the parameters may be modified to improve the patient&#39;s response. In one example, one parameter that defines how to present the first stimulus stipulates that that the first stimulus may be presented to the patient  102  in the morning and the afternoon. However, presenting the first stimulus in the morning caused the patient&#39;s heart rate to increase whereas presenting the first stimulus in the afternoon had no effect on the patient&#39;s heart rate. Based on the foregoing, the first electronic device  104  determines that the first stimulus should not be presented in the morning and modifies the parameters accordingly. 
     In another one of such embodiments, the first electronic device  104  is operable to compare one or more parameters that define how to present the first stimulus with one or more parameters that define how to present similar stimuli, such as the second stimulus. In one example, one parameter that defines how to present stimuli to the patient  102  is based on an identity of an individual that appears in a stimulus. Assuming that all other factors are identical, the first electronic device  104  determines that the patient  102  experienced a more positive response when the patient  102  viewed pictures of the patient&#39;s newborn instead of pictures of non-related individuals. The first electronic device  104  may recommend that he patient  102  should also present similar stimuli (e.g., stimuli associated with presenting photographs of the spouse, photographs of other children, photographs of family members, as well as other similar stimuli) to trigger a more positive response from the patient  102 . 
     In another one of such embodiments, the first electronic device  104  determines how the parameters cause a stimulus, or similar stimuli to trigger different responses from the patient  102 . The first electronic device  104  then formulates a new stimulus based on the stimulus and/or similar stimuli and based on one or more parameters that are associated with the stimulus and/or similar stimuli. For example, if stimuli associated with pictures of the patient&#39;s family members triggered positive responses, the first electronic device  104  may determine to formulate a new stimulus associated with a video recording of the patient&#39;s family members. The first electronic device  104  may then associate one or more parameters that define how to present stimuli associated with pictures of the patient&#39;s family members with the new stimulus. 
     In a further one of such embodiments, the first electronic device  104  is operable to compare parameters that define how to present stimuli that triggered negative reactions and/or neutral reactions with parameters that define how to present with similar stimuli that triggered positive reactions. The first electronic device  104  is further operable to determine whether the parameters associated with stimuli that triggered negative and/or neutral reactions may be modified to cause the stimuli to trigger positive reactions. For example, if the first electronic device  104  determines that a stimulus associated with presenting the patient  102  with a video recording of the patient&#39;s family members (hereafter referred to as “the fourth stimulus”) increases the patient&#39;s blood pressure, the first electronic device  104  may assess stimuli associated with presenting other video recordings of the patient&#39;s family members that did not increase the patient&#39;s blood pressure. The first electronic device  104  then determines that the fourth stimulus was presented to the patient  102  after 8:00 pm whereas stimuli similar to the fourth stimulus were presented to patient  102  before 2:00 pm. The first electronic device  104  then modifies a parameter that defines when the fourth stimulus may be presented to limit presentation time of the fourth stimulus. 
     In some embodiment, when the first electronic device  104  is presented with new patient conditions, the first electronic device  104  conducts a behavior analysis based on data stored in the behavior database to identify one or more stimuli that has a high probability to trigger a positive response, and provides a recommendation of the one or more stimuli to the caregiver  103 . For example, If the patient  102  experiences a new condition where the patient is upset, refuses to communicate with the caregiver  103 , and has no appetite, the first electronic device  104  may access the behavior database to determine one or more universal stimuli that has a probability above a threshold value to trigger a positive response from someone who is upset, refuses to communicate, and has no appetite. The first electronic device  104  then recommends the universal stimuli to the caregiver  103 . The first electronic device  104  is also operable to determine the patient&#39;s response to the universal stimuli and to determine whether to recommend the universal stimuli in the future based on how the patient  102  responds to the universal stimuli. As such, the first electronic device  104  is operable to continuously and dynamically evolve to learn from prior and current responses from the patient to predict stimuli and provide stimuli that trigger positive experiences to improve the current condition of the patient  102 . 
     In some embodiments, the first electronic device  104  is operable to generate a timeline of prior conditions of the patient  102 , stimuli presented to patient  102 , as well as the patient&#39;s responses to the stimuli. The timeline may be accessible by the caregiver  103  and/or other authorized individuals to monitor the progress of the patient  102 . In some embodiments, the first electronic device  104  includes additional hardware and software components that are operable to allow the caregiver  103  and/or other authorized individuals to remotely access the first electronic device  104  to monitor the patient  102  and to remotely provide different stimuli to the patient  102 . 
     Although the foregoing operations are described to be performed by the first electronic device  104 , the foregoing operations may be performed by another electronic device that is operable to obtain data indicative of the condition of the patient  102 , determine which stimulus should be presented to the patient  102 , and to provide a recommendation for the patient  102  to experience said stimulus. In some embodiments, the foregoing operations are performed by an application running on a remote electronic device (not shown) that is stationed at a remote location relative to the location of the patient  102 . In such embodiments, the remote electronic device provides recommendations over the network  106  to the first electronic device  104 , where the recommendations and the stimuli associated with the recommendations are provided for display on the first electronic device  104 . Although  FIG. 1  illustrates a single electronic device  104  connected to the storage medium  110  via the network  106 , additional electronic devices (not shown) may also be communicatively connected to the first electronic device  104  via the network  106 . 
       FIG. 2  is a flow chart that illustrates a process to provide positive stimuli to a patient suffering from an in accordance with one embodiment. Although the paragraphs below describe the operations of process  200  being performed by the first electronic device  104  illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the instructions for the operations may be stored locally on the first electronic device  104  or may be stored remotely, such as on the storage medium  110 . Further, the process may be performed by other electronic devices described herein. Further, although operations in the process  200  are shown in a particular order, certain operations may be performed in different orders or at the same time where feasible. 
     At step  202 , the first electronic device  104  obtains data indicative of a current condition of the patient  102 . As stated herein, data indicative of the current condition may be obtained from the sensors  105 , from the caregiver  103 , or directly by the first electronic device  104 . As step  204 , the first electronic device  104  determines a stimulus that previously triggered a positive reaction from the patient while the patient was in a condition similar and/or identical to the current condition. Operations to determine a positive stimulus are described in detail in the foregoing paragraphs. At step  206 , the first electronic device provides a recommendation for the patient  102  to experience the stimulus. In some embodiments, the stimulus is automatically provided for display on the display screen of the first electronic device  104 . In other embodiments, the caregiver  103  determines whether to provide the stimulus to the patient  102 . In further embodiments, instructions regarding how to present the stimulus may also be included in the recommendation. At step  208 , the first electronic device determines whether data indicative of the patient&#39;s response to the stimulus has been received. If the first electronic device does not receive a response within an operational duration (e.g., ten seconds, one minute, or another quantifiable operational duration), then the process proceeds to step  214 , which is described in the paragraphs below. 
     Alternatively, if the first electronic device  104  receives a response from the patient within the operational duration, then the process proceeds to step  210  and the first electronic device  104  stores data indicative of the first response on the storage medium  110  or another storage medium that contains the patient&#39;s data. At step  212 , the first electronic device  104  determines if patient&#39;s current condition has changed. If the patient&#39;s current condition has changed, then the process proceeds to step  218  and the first electronic device  104  determines whether data indicative of the patient&#39;s new condition should be obtained and analyzed. If the first electronic device  104  determines that the patient&#39;s new condition should be obtained and analyzed, then the process returns to step  202 , data indicative of the patient&#39;s new condition are obtained, and the process described in the foregoing paragraphs is repeated. Alternatively, if the first electronic device  104  receives instructions from the caregiver  103  or is preprogramed not to obtain data indicative of the new condition, then the process ends at step  220 . 
     Alternatively, if the first electronic device  104  determines at step  212  that the patient&#39;s condition has not changed, then the process proceeds to  214 . At step  214 , the first electronic device  104  determines a different stimulus that previously triggered a positive reaction from the patient while the patient was in a condition similar to the current condition. At step  216 , the first electronic device  104  determines whether to recommend the different stimulus to the patient  102 . If the first electronic device  104  determines that the different stimulus should not be recommended to the patient  102 , or if the first electronic device  104  receives instructions from the caregiver  103  not to recommend the different stimulus, then the process ends at step  220 . Alternatively, if the first electronic device  104  determines to provide the different stimulus to the patient  102 , then the process returns to step  206  and the process described in the foregoing paragraphs is repeated. 
       FIG. 3A  is a flow chart that illustrates a process to dynamically formulate new stimuli based on the patient&#39;s responses to stimuli in accordance with one embodiment. Although the paragraphs below describe the operations of process  300  being performed by the first electronic device  104  illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the instructions for the operations may be stored locally on the first electronic device  104  or may be stored remotely, such as on the storage medium  110 . Further, the process may be performed by other electronic devices described herein. Further, although operations in the process  300  are shown in a particular order, certain operations may be performed in different orders or at the same time where feasible. 
     At step  302  the first electronic device  104  receives data indicative of the patient&#39;s response to a stimulus. As stated herein, the response may be detected, monitored, and/or recorded by one or more sensors, components, and/or electronic devices that are operable to detect, monitor, and/or record the patient&#39;s response and further operable to provide data indicative of the patient&#39;s response to the first electronic device  104 . At step  304 , the first electronic device  104  performs operations described herein to determine whether the response corresponds to a positive response. If the first electronic device  104  determines that the response is a positive response, then the process proceeds to step  306  and the first electronic device  104  determines whether to formulate a new stimulus based on the positive response. 
     In some embodiments, the first electronic device  104 , upon determining that the patient&#39;s response is a positive response, incorporates the patient&#39;s response and a stimulus that triggered the patient&#39;s response into a new stimulus that includes both the stimulus and the patient&#39;s response. For example, if the patient responds to the first stimulus (a picture of the patient&#39;s newborn) by mentioning the newborn&#39;s name (hereafter referred to “the first positive response to the first stimulus”), then the first electronic device  104  may obtain, from a video recorder that is communicatively connected to the first electronic device  104 , a video recording of the patient&#39;s interaction with the first stimulus and the patient&#39;s positive response to the first stimulus (the video recording hereafter referred to as “the first new stimulus”). The first electronic device  104  then determines one or more patient conditions (e.g., in response to the first prior condition) to present the first new stimulus. 
     In other embodiments, the first electronic device  104  formulates a new stimulus solely based on the patient&#39;s response to a stimulus. Continuing with the previous example, the first electronic device  104  may formulate a video recording containing only the patient&#39;s response to the first stimulus (hereafter referred to as “the second new stimulus”). The first electronic device  104  then determines one or more patient conditions to present the second new stimulus. 
     In some embodiments, if the first electronic device  104  determines at step  306  that a new stimulus should be formed, the first electronic device  104  also determines one or more of the patient&#39;s conditions for recommending the new stimulus to the patient. In some embodiments, the first electronic device  104  identifies one or more of the patient&#39;s prior conditions that were improved in response to stimuli similar to the new stimulus, and associates the new stimulus to the patient&#39;s said prior conditions. For example, if the first electronic device  104  identifies that the patient&#39;s first prior condition was improved in response to the first stimulus, and determines that the first stimulus is similar to the new stimulus, then the first electronic device  104  also associates the new stimulus with the first prior condition, and would recommend the new stimulus to the patient if the patient subsequently experiences the first prior condition. In some embodiments, the new stimulus includes one or more modifications of existing stimuli. In one example, the new stimulus may combine multiple existing stimuli. In another example, the new stimulus may be in a format that is different from the existing stimuli. In a further example, a portion of existing stimuli, such as a portion of a text file, an image, a video recording, a multimedia content, or another type of content disclosed herein may be obscured or censored in the new stimulus. 
     The process then proceeds to step  308  and the first electronic device  104  stores the new stimulus together with the conditions for recommending the new stimulus on the storage medium  110 . The process then proceeds to step  320 . Alternatively, if the first electronic device  104  determines not to formulate a new stimulus at step  306 , the process also proceeds to step  320 . At step  320 , the electronic device  104  determines whether to assess data indicative of the patient&#39;s subsequent responses to stimulus. The process ends at step  322  if the first electronic device  104  determines not to assess data indicative of additional responses. Alternatively, if the first electronic device  104  determines at step  320  to continue to assess the patient&#39;s responses, the process returns to step  302 . In some embodiments, the first electronic device  104  has a default setting to continue to assess the patient&#39;s subsequent responses until the first electronic device  104  receives overriding instructions from the caregiver  103  or another authorized personnel to cease monitoring the patient&#39;s responses. 
     Alternatively, if the first electronic device  104  determines at step  304  that the response is not a positive response (e.g., the response is a negative response, a neutral response, or constitutes a lack of a response), then the process proceeds to step  314 , and the first electronic device  104  performs operations described herein to determine one or more parameters of the existing stimulus that triggered a non-positive response. Examples of parameters may include parameters that quantify how the stimulus was previously presented to the patient, how the patient experienced the stimulus, the identity of an individual that appears in the stimulus the date and time the stimulus was presented to the patient, the number of times the stimulus has been presented to the patient over an operational duration, the total number stimuli that have been presented to the patient over the duration, as well as other quantifiable parameters. At step  316 , the first electronic device  104  determines whether to formulate new stimulus based on the one or more parameters determined in step  314 , wherein the new stimulus contains one or more modifications of one or more existing stimuli. If the first electronic device  104  determines to formulate the new stimulus, then the first electronic device  104  performs operations described herein to formulate the new stimulus. In one example, a portion of existing stimuli, such as a portion of a text file, an image, a video recording, a multimedia content, or another type of content disclosed herein may be obscured or censored in the new stimulus. In another example, the new stimulus may be in a format that is different from a format of existing stimuli. In a further example, the new stimulus may contain a combination of multiple existing stimuli. The process then proceeds to step  318  and the first electronic device  104  stores the new stimulus on the storage medium  110 . The process then proceeds to step  320 , which is described in the foregoing paragraph. Moreover, if the first electronic device  104  determines at step  316  not to formulate a new stimulus, then the process also proceeds to step  320 . In view of the foregoing, the first electronic device  104  is operable to continuously and dynamically adapt to the patient&#39;s current condition by formulating new stimuli based on the patient&#39;s reactions to existing stimuli to trigger positive responses from the patient. 
     In one embodiment, an initial set up of the first electronic device  104  includes storing written material, audio recordings, video recordings, and digital photographs to be used as primary stimulus, corresponding, for example, to life experiences and memory references for a patient. The process of  FIG. 3A  can be used to generate derivative stimulus. The impact of such derivative stimulus on a patient response can then be evaluated for a positive patient response and potential future use by first electronic device  104 . In such a manner, first electronic device  104  can continuously create and evaluate new stimulus to dynamically create a library of stimuli that best improves patient behaviors and outcomes. The recursive nature of the algorithm to create, test, modify, and select such library of stimuli represents one manner in which self-learning technology can be utilized to create a considerable advancement in treatment for patients&#39; suffering, for example, from dementia and other cognitive disorders. Such algorithm also works to customize a treatment plan specific to each patient and how they react to particular stimuli. 
     The first electronic device  104  described in the above-disclosed embodiments can be configured to store a current “deck” of stimulus and vary the order, frequency, and timing of the presentation of such deck to a patient. Moreover, the first electronic device  104  may monitor the patient&#39;s response to such deck on a real-time basis, or, alternatively, on a batched basis (once a day or once a week, for example), and the order of the deck shuffled or the stimulus included in such deck modified based on such monitoring. For example, in a real-time monitoring example, the first electronic device  104  maintains an overall patient condition score that may be modified upon the presentation of each stimulus. If the first electronic device  104  determines that a stimulus causes a material reduction in the overall patient condition score, the first electronic device  104  may immediately remove the stimulus from a deck. If the overall patient condition score is not improving, the deck may be shuffled to be presented in a different order, or a different set of stimulus can be used to create a new deck. In one embodiment, different patient condition categories may have different scores. For example, one score may be for patient memory, one for patient distress, one for patient disorientation, and one for patient mood. The scores for each category may carry the same weight. Alternatively, the scores may be weighted based on category, where one the score associated with one category (e.g., patient disorientation) is given greater value relative to the score associated with another category (e.g., patient distress). A caregiver or an authorized personnel may adjust the weight of the scores based on a patient by patient basis. Alternatively, the first electronic device  104  may dynamically adjust the weight of the scores based on a combination of the patient&#39;s conditions, stimuli presented to the patient, and the patient&#39;s response to said stimuli. For example, if the patient persistently experiences anxiety over an operational duration (e.g., one hour, one day, or another quantifiable period of time), then the first electronic device  104  increases the weight of the score associated with anxiety and reshuffle and/or create a new deck of stimuli more tailored to reduce the patient&#39;s anxiety. Portions of the deck may be directed to different patient condition categories depending on a particular patient&#39;s malady, symptoms, disease progression, and responsiveness to treatment. In some embodiments, the deck and instructions for modifying the deck and creating the deck are stored on the first electronic device  104 . In other embodiments, the deck and the instructions are stored on the storage medium  110  or another device (not shown) that is accessible to the first electronic device  104  via the network  106 . 
     From the foregoing embodiments, the system and behavior databank  112  can also be used to store, compile and analyze data that may be valuable for researching further treatment, particularly when combined with demographic information, malady information, disease progression information, symptoms or other information. Personal information may be removed in accordance with any applicable regulatory, legal, and ethical standards. Audio or video recordings of patient responses can be automatically translated into a data record to remove personal information and summarize such recordings with metadata. For example, a video of a particular patient may be translated by first electronic device  104  into a flat searchable database record for behavior databank  112  that includes patient sex, patient age, malady, progression, symptoms, stimulus applied, and response observed (which may include a textual description of observed patient behavior or a measured condition such as particular neural feedback or brainwave activity). An algorithm may be used by doctors or researchers to select relevant research criteria and analyze aggregated responses to particular stimulus categories. For example, if a memory of a traumatic event (a combat experience) is triggered by a particular sound (gunfire, for example) such that a patient becomes distraught, a researcher may use the system to determine which stimulus have been introduced in similar situations (while paired with the sound or introduced immediately following the sound) that have either disassociated the sound with the memory of the traumatic event or lessened the distraught response of a patient. Over time, statistical, aggregated information can be stored in or derived from behavior databank  112  to be accessible to caregivers, clinicians, doctors, psychologists, scientists, and researchers. If a stimulus in a particular category or determined to include particular characteristics has been shown to have no benefit or a negative benefit with respect to a particular patient symptom or condition, the system may not allow such stimulus to be presented to a patient, or may alternatively be flagged or an alert generated with such stimulus is selected for presentation to a patient. Such feature would be an important source of preventing human error leading to situations that may result in severe patient distress. 
       FIG. 3B  is a flow chart that illustrates a process  350  to dynamically formulate new stimuli based on the patient&#39;s responses to stimuli in accordance with another embodiment. Steps  304 ,  306 ,  308 ,  314 ,  316 , and  318  of the process  350  are identical to corresponding steps of the process  300  of  FIG. 3A . However, steps  304 ,  306 ,  308 ,  314 ,  316 , and  318  of the process  350  runs one iteration, whereas the corresponding steps of the process  300  may loop back and repeat. In some embodiments, the process  350  would be implemented as a sub-process of the process  200  as an alternative to step  210 . Moreover, the steps of process  350  begin after the first electronic device  104  receives a response triggered by the first stimulus at step  208 . Further, at step  320 , the process  350  proceeds to step  212  of the process  200 . 
     As used in this specification and any claims of this application, the terms “computer”, “server”, “processor”, and “memory” all refer to electronic or other technological devices. As used in this specification and any claims of this application, the terms “computer readable medium” and “computer readable media” are entirely restricted to tangible, physical objects that store information in a form that is readable by a computer. These terms exclude any wireless signals, wired download signals, and any other ephemeral signals. 
     The above-disclosed embodiments have been presented for purposes of illustration and to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to practice the disclosure, but the disclosure is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the forms disclosed. Many insubstantial modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure. The scope of the claims is intended to broadly cover the disclosed embodiments and any such modification. 
     The above disclosed embodiments have been presented for purposes of illustration and to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to practice the disclosed embodiments, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the forms disclosed. Many insubstantial modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure. For instance, although the flowcharts depict a serial process, some of the steps/blocks may be performed in parallel or out of sequence, or combined into a single step/block. The scope of the claims is intended to broadly cover the disclosed embodiments and any such modification. 
     As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprise” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification and/or the claims, specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. In addition, the steps and components described in the above embodiments and figures are merely illustrative and do not imply that any particular step or component is a requirement of a claimed embodiment.