Method and apparatus for reflex blink reaction conditioning

US5384593A · kind A · utility

Inventors

• Harold A. Gell, Jr. · Silver Spring, US
• Constantine Haralambopoulos · Rochester, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 12, 1994
• Grant date: Jan 24, 1995
• Expiry date: May 12, 2014

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G09G5/00
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A method and apparatus for conditioning a blink reaction of a person using a computer terminal display. Blinking is selectively triggered by a macro shift in the dominant object viewed by the person or a macro tactile event simultaneously with a shift in a non-dominant object viewed by the person or a micro tactile event. The macro shift may be in the form of foreground/background reversal, display color changes, blank screen, etc. caused by hardware switching device or programed ANSI escape sequence changes. The non-dominant object may be a cursor, the last character typed, etc. The macro or micro tactile event may be a vibration, sound, puff of air, etc. The person is conditioned to blink in response to the non-dominant visual cue or micro tactile event by the association between the non-dominant or micro event and the dominant or macro event which causes involuntary blinking. As the persons conditioning develops, the intensity of the dominant or macro event is decreased until the force causing involuntary blinking shifts completely to the non-dominant or micro event, after which the dominant or macro event is discontinued.