Enhancing music for repetitive motion activities
Inventors
McCarthy, Owen • Harris, Brian • Kalpaxis, Alex • Guerette, David
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12064564-B2
Publication Date
2024-08-20
Expiration Date
Abstract
A method of providing repetitive motion therapy comprising providing access to audio content; selecting audio content for delivery to a patient; performing an analysis on the selected audio content, the analysis identifying audio features of the selected audio content, and extracting rhythmic and structural features of the selected audio content; performing an entrainment suitability analysis on the selected audio content; generating entrainment assistance cue(s) to the selected audio content, the assistance cue(s) including a sound added to the audio content; applying the assistance cues to the audio content simultaneously with playing the selected audio content; evaluating a therapeutic effect on the patient, wherein the selected audio content continues to play when a therapeutic threshold is detected, and a second audio content is selected for delivery to the patient when a therapeutic threshold is not detected.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a method of modifying music for use in providing repetitive motion therapy. A piece of audio content is provided to a patient while a processor performs analysis on the audio content, including identifying audio features and performing an entrainment suitability analysis that assigns a suitability score to one or more audio features.
The entrainment suitability analysis assigns the suitability score based on audio features including at least average tempo, beat strength, beat times confidence, rhythmic stability, time signature, tempo perception confidence, effective duration, tempo variance, tempo perception, rhythmic ubiquity, rhythmic pattern variance, song duration, detection of rhythmic parts at a plurality of sections throughout the piece of audio content, and position of first and last beat in the piece of audio content. The suitability score represents how suitable an audio feature is for triggering kinematic motion by the patient.
When the assigned suitability score does not meet a prescribed suitability threshold, the processor generates a modification to the piece of audio content for improving the suitability score of the one or more audio features. The generated modification is applied to the piece of audio content and the modified audio is output to a patient during a repetitive motion therapy session. The modification generation comprises quantizing the piece of audio content to reduce fluctuations in tempo.
A system is also provided for performing the entrainment suitability analysis and for generating and applying modifications to audio content for repetitive motion therapy. The system includes a processor, non-transitory computer readable storage medium, and a communication interface to provide a communication connection between the processor and an audio output device associated with a patient. The processor executes instructions to perform the entrainment suitability analysis, compare the suitability score to a prescribed suitability threshold, generate a modification comprising quantizing the audio to reduce tempo fluctuations, and output the modified audio during a therapy session.
Claims Coverage
The document contains two independent claims, each defining an entrainment suitability analysis for repetitive motion therapy and the generation and application of an audio modification when a prescribed suitability threshold is not met. Both independent claims include the inventive use of quantizing the audio to reduce tempo fluctuations as part of the modification generation, and both tie the suitability score to suitability for triggering kinematic motion by the patient.
Entrainment suitability analysis for triggering kinematic motion
Perform an entrainment suitability analysis on a piece of audio content by analyzing audio features and assigning a suitability score for one or more audio features, wherein the suitability score represents how suitable an audio feature is for triggering kinematic motion by the patient, with the suitability score assigned based on at least average tempo, beat strength, beat times confidence, rhythmic stability, time signature, tempo perception confidence, effective duration, tempo variance, tempo perception, rhythmic ubiquity, rhythmic pattern variance, song duration, detection of rhythmic parts at a plurality of sections throughout the piece of audio content, and position of first and last beat in the piece of audio content.
Threshold-based audio modification generation
Based on the assigned suitability score not meeting a prescribed suitability threshold, generate a modification to the piece of audio content for improving the suitability score of the one or more of the audio features.
Quantizing modification to reduce tempo fluctuations
Generate the modification by quantizing the piece of audio content to reduce fluctuations in tempo.
Outputting modified audio during repetitive motion therapy
Apply the modification to the piece of audio content, wherein the piece of audio content modified according to the modification is output to the patient during a repetitive motion therapy session.
Across both independent claims, the core inventive coverage centers on an entrainment suitability analysis that assigns a suitability score tied to triggering kinematic motion, threshold-based generation of an audio modification, quantizing the audio to reduce tempo fluctuations as the modification mechanism, and outputting the modified audio during repetitive motion therapy.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
No documented applications found
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