Abstract:
The working quality of the human brain is measured with this method and apparatus (10) by determining the highest frequency at which a subject can discriminate between synchronous and asynchronous pairs of two simultaneously presented periodic non-verbal stimuli: the higher this frequency (synchronism threshold), the faster the brain of the subject can process information using the sensory function tested. The periodic stimuli provided to the subject and preceded by appropriate mask stimuli may be pairs of visual, tactile, electrocutaneous, and/or auditory stimuli within the same sense modality, or intermodal between two different senses. The apparatus (10) generates the stimuli and indicates the nominal frequencies of the stimuli and threshold. The frequency threshold is determined by means of an adaptive staircase procedure in which the frequency is decreased after wrong responses and increased after correct responses.
Abstract:
A device for determining and/or measuring the reaction time of a living being, including a combination of a holder (30) and (a) control means (10, 11, 12, 25) for controlling the start of a process including a visual and/or audible sequence, and continuing theprocess for a limited time; (b) sequence indicating means (18, 19, 20); (c) means (24, 27) for sensing the end of the sequence; and (d) means (21, 22, 23) for determining the reaction time of the user. Said means (10, 11, 12, 25) for controlling the start of the process are connected to the means of (b), (c) and (d) via intermediate means (14, 15, 16, 17, 25, 26) that randomise the length of the sequence.
Abstract:
An apparatus (10) for testing and evaluating of a person's dexterity, range of motion, and dynamic lifting ability includes methods for evaluating the wrist and hand range of motion by requiring the person to move his wrist through the normal range of motions, including flexion, extension, pronation, and supination. The dexterity tester (50) is mounted on each shelf (32, 34) and on the mounting bracket (30) in turn so that the person undergoes the same test and evaluation at each of three working heights: (1) elbow height, (2) overhead height, and (3) knee height, providing a functional assessment of dexterity and range of motion of the person's entire musculoskeletal system. The lifting ability testing includes both an upper body lifting evaluation (to shoulder height) and a lower body lifting evaluation (to carry height). Each of the two evaluations is tested independently.
Abstract:
In a device to test a person's attention or concentration ability, a series of digits is read out at a pre-determined, alterable speed by a speech recorder (62) and delivered by a speech generator (66) to headphones (10). The subject must press a button (16) every time a target (e.g. '0') is heard. Also every time a '0' is heard, a control unit (50) produces a window signal which is connected by an error logic circuit (70) to the key-press impulse. If the reaction is correct, the key-press impulse will be within the time window, and a counter (74) will accordingly increase the number of the 'score'. Any key-press impulse falling outside the time window is an omission error to be counted by another counter (75). The counter status is then analyzed to calculate an error index (IE).
Abstract:
The invention discloses a method and a self-contained device for implementing psychometric and cognitive tests, and recording the results thereof. A casing houses display devices (14, 22), a voice synthesis unit, a speech analysis unit, a microphone (10), a headphone socket (25), optical transducers (26) and sound transducers (24), resistive films for detecting force (12) and position (14), pushbuttons (7), a microprocessor, EPROM and RAM memories, a clock, time and event counters, result acquisition and analysis means, a bidirectional communication interface (15). Said device can be worn by the subject and is capable of recording at least 60000 measurements. The invention relates to the field of measuring methods and devices.
Abstract:
A device for measuring the response of the eye to the flashing of a luminous source comprises a housing (11) containing a source of electrical energy (16), a light-emitting diode (14), an optical system (15) for focusing the light emitted by the source on the retina of the eye and an electronic control device (17). This device is arranged to generate numerical sinusoidal signal with modulation delta, which simplifies the circuit and ensures that the measurements are sufficiently stable.
Abstract:
The invention features a method for evaluating the efficacy of a communication message, comprising a step (1) for evaluating the rational significance of this message, a step (V) for evaluating the symbolical significance of this message comprising in particular an evaluation of the symbolic value, and an evaluation of the degree of coherence of this message, and a step (3) to harmonise the rational and the symbolical significance. Step (V) evaluating the symbolical significance of the message further comprises, in the case of a "Structure" type message, a step to evaluate the emotional impact felt by a subject in response to this message. The invention is useful for diagnosing, conceiving, measuring and optimising all communication messages and is particularly useful in the fields of audience measurement, communication and medical diagnosis.
Abstract:
The invention discloses a system for collecting and processing biometrical information emitted by human subjects (2) in response to a communication message, characterised in that it comprises: for each human subject (2), a personal acquisition and transmission device comprising: means for measuring (16) the said biometrical information emitted in response to a communication message, means for processing (18) and transmitting (20) the acquired information items to a local collecting device (6), a local collecting device (6) capable of communicating with a central processing site (8) and, in this central site, means of receiving (26) the information collected by each local collecting device (6), and centralised means for the biometrical processing and analysis of these information items. The system is useful particularly for evaluating the impact of messages (films, advertisements, ...) on the public, for carrying out audience measurements, for medical supervision, and for financial analysis.
Abstract:
A means (52) for extracting cardiac cycle variation signals of an anesthetic depth detector extracts, on the basis of the fluctuation of the cardiac cycles of a living organism detected continuously by a means (50) for detecting cardiac cycle, the first cardiac cycle variation signal HFCRR as the variable component of the cardiac cycle occurring approximately synchronous with the respiration of the organism and the second cardiac cycle variation signal LFCRR composed of the components having specific frequencies lower than that of the first signal HFCRR. The anesthetic depth of the organism is calculated based on the ratio of HFCRR to LFCRR by a means (54) for calculating anesthetic depth. As a result, the anesthetic depth of the living organism can be accurately calculated objectively or quantitatively without the necessity for expertism.
Abstract:
This invention discloses a method and apparatus for determining psychological characteristics of humans and comprising prompting a human subject to provide an original set of symbols of predetermined types on a substrate, quantifying at least one characteristic of the original set of symbols and computing at least one psychological characteristic of the human subject based on the output of the quantifying step.