We have designed a pair of stimulating light headphones in order to treat anomalies such as depression, insomnia or jet lag. For how long you would have to use them? Only for 8 to 12 minutes per day would be sufficient. Moreover, they will allow you to listen to music at the same time as if you were just using regular headphones.
-- Translation to English by Eric Company Villaplana (Tourism student at CETA University) --
Recently, scientists have discovered that some specific brain areas are light sensitive. Lately, it was commonly believed that the only way the light could go through us was through the eyes by the usage of light treatments consisting of looking for one hour daily at a powerful white light focus. This is not only boring, but can also be harmful both for ourselves and for the environment due to its high electricity consumption. Taking that into consideration, we would like to substitute this treatment for ours, so a 8 12-minute non-aggressive light exposure per day.
According to the research carried out by Finnish scientists brain is light sensitive. Considering the results from their patients and the possibility of lighten the brain through the auditory system we would like to develop an innovative, sophisticated and non-expensive product. Our goal is to increase the standard of living of people and fight against diseases originated in the brain such as depression, insomnia and jet lag. Even if you don’t suffer from any sickness like the ones mentioned above this type of treatment can also have either a stimulating or a relaxing effect,
There have not been described any spillovers in the clinical trial because the light used is low powered and this is not harmful for the ear canal. In that way, the light produced in the ear canal has the same effect on as the sunlight in the optic nerve.
We are willing to develop headphones which are able to illuminate the brain using light of a range of wave length (colors) that will depend on the treatment we would like to apply. The most common treatments will be, at first, with white light or white light with a little blue tint. Nevertheless, we would implement more treatments if we have the opportunity.
However, we will try to go further by adding music with sound quality into the headphones in order to make this treatment more pleasant and enjoyable. In addiition, we will-need to solve the problem of light and sound go through the same canal. Light devices can block sound waves and that is where our engineering solution comes in.
The costs described in the project take into account each step of the development cycle in order to elaborate a prototype, as well as possible trouble that could come across as the work progresses.
Useful links:
http://www.mobile-lichttherapie.de/fileadmin/benutzerdaten/valkee-de/pdf/MedicalHypotheses-TranscranialBrightLight-UniversityofOulu-2012-02.pdf
http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2013/04/light-brain/
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/10/121026084356.htm
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=how-to-use-light-to-control-the-brain
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuF_D6N3kQs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8bPbHuOZXg
Hauptmerkmale
The product will consist of a pair of earphones with a light source going through a fiber optic cable. The light beam will reach brain through the ear canal. We would like to test different LEDs and make them combinable with each other to emit light of different colors and therefore different effects on the brain.
One of the biggest challenges is to implement a mechanical design in order to allow the user to enjoy music while doing the treatment. The light canal obstructs the sound and we have thought about an engineering solution that will enable us to bring the light in the ear and at the same time open some space for the sound.
The power supply will be a light lithium battery or maybe connecting the earphones to a mobile with USB OTG.
The system will consume low energy. The battery or the device used as energetic source (mobile, computer, etc.) will be little affected due to power cosumption.
Warum das wichtig ist
Although people who suffer from any kind of sickness that originates in the brain or lack of regularity in the hours of light will be the ones who will be the benefitial here, However, those who do not suffer from any brain sickness will be also able to improve their standards of life.
The researches made recently in Finland have demonstrated that direct incision of light in the ear results in the segregation of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that affects the mood and the human mental state, so that the daily exposure to sunlight provokes the same effect. This is the reason why this product could substitute sunlight in terms of neurology.
Ziele der Crowdfunding Kampagne
Our first goal is to design the necessary structure so that the optical and sound system fit in the same earphones. We ought to find adequate materials and make a fine, esthetic and practical design.
The second one will be the design of the electrical system, which will allow us to control the kind of light emitted and also, allow a good coexistence with optic fiber. All of these will be assembled in a box with the system control interface as well as the external audio and charge connections.
At the end a test will be brought out by a group of people who will check the proper functioning of the product as well as the effect on them.
We need your contribution in order to develop the project entirely and the achievement of all goals. This crowdfunding campaign will enable the design and the fabrication of prototypes ready for the market.
Team und Erfahrung
Pau Costal:
Industrial technical engineer specialized in industrial electronics by Universitat de Girona and post graduate in electronic engineering by Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (ETSETB). In his thesis he designed one entire electrocardiogram system with oximetry through Bluetooth Low Energy. In addition, he is a professional musician and a specialist in terms of audio referring to electronics and processing of industrial signal.
Athul Sripad:
Electronic engineer by SASTRA University, India. Actually finishing a MSC in Electronic Systems in Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (ETSETB) and also working in international collaboration projects related to advanced software structures with logic design and debugging in FPGA.