Development of Sound Therapy Device

1
Development of Sound Therapy Device BME 273
Cindy Hlavacek, BME and Noah Walcutt, ME Thomas
Anderson, MA and Robin Midgett, VU Electronics
Technician Department of Biomedical Engineering,
Vanderbilt University, Nashville TN USA
Development of Sound Therapy Device BME 273
Cindy Hlavacek, BME and Noah Walcutt, ME Thomas
Anderson, MA and Robin Midgett, VU Electronics
Technician Department of Biomedical Engineering,
Vanderbilt University, Nashville TN USA
Introduction
How Our Solution Works
Discussion

• Our mission is to develop an advanced
  prototype for sound therapy.  Sound Therapy is a
  non-invasive therapeutic treatment that has only
  recently regained acceptance as a viable
  alternative to mainstream practices. The
  underlying principle is that sound has the
  ability to change people consciously and
  physiologically. 
• This student proposed design project found
  synergy in adopting art for medical applications.
• The project evolved from my passions in art and
  engineering into a novel medical application.
  Noah
• Sound/Music can have therapeutic, healing
  effects
• Emotional well-being Consciousness
• Physical health
• Communication abilities
• Cognitive skills
• Evidence in the writings of Aristotle Plato
• Plato held that music had more healing ability
  than any other type of medical treatment "rhythm
  and harmony find their way into the inward places
  of the soul, imparting grace, and making the soul
  of him who is rightly educated graceful."
• First 20th century application WWI WWII

After assessing the final design and
performance of the device, our advisor provided
us with a great deal of positive feedback. From
his extensive background working with musical
instruments and studying archeo-acoustics, he
praised the aesthetic and original qualities and
noted that the three dimensional space and large
size makes for a very comfortable and enjoyable
experience. The experience changes ones
perception, which is usually directional and
biased. Learning multi-directional perception is
important in sensory development and acuity.
Research has also correlated similar experiences
with sensory training for people with autism and
other developmental disabilities, dementia and
brain injuries. Mr. Anderson stresses the
therapeutic benefits of play in the art of
healing. This dimension of the experience calls
for discovery and creativity two aspects that
were present in our final product. Mr.
Anderson also offered constructive criticisms and
suggested areas of improvement. Most notably,
the handmade mechanical components detracted from
the audible experience. To resolve this issue,
he suggested using machined components for
greater precision, similar to modern instrument
manufacturing. Another design flaw was the use
of piano-like strikers to activate the strings.
To resolve this issue, he suggested directly
using magnets to resonate the strings. A final
improvement would be changing the geometry to
optimize the acoustics and the overall experience
replacing the penti-hemisphere with a perfect
hemisphere. We had hoped to quantitatively
assess our device by monitoring a patient vitals
and brain activity using an EEG machine.
However, after further discussion with our
advisor, we determined that given the primitive
state of our instrument, our inexperience in
studying the biological signals and lack of
proper training that this would be
inappropriate. Cost Analysis Labor Costs
4500 Support Structure
100 Electronics
300 Acoustic Related
200 Miscellaneous
100 Aesthetics
50 Total Cost to Prototype 5250 Given
that no similar device exists, we decided to
assess marketability based on our target
audience. Over one million people in the United
States have been diagnosed as autistic. Every
year in the United States there are nearly two
million cases of traumatic head injury. The size
of the device is the only limiting factor when
considering reproducibility. Given the low cost
of our initial design, mass-production is highly
feasible. No safety concerns arose during
testing, however clinical trials are needed to
identify potential issues.
Background
The Details Engineering Design Components

• Acoustics
• 20 guitar strings strung tangentially to 5 sides
  of dome soundboard
• Create music which resonates inside the dome
• Theoretical resonant frequencies calculated using
  measured dome dimensions
• Actual resonant frequencies measured using ETF
  Audio Software (provided by advisor Thomas
  Anderson)
• Analysis of spatial resonant frequencies maximize
  the audible range
• Strings can then be tuned according to the most
  spatially significant resonant frequency
• Harmonic scales and melodies can be deciphered
• Biomedical
• Patient sitting/lounging inside dome experiences
  the music
• Evidence of a more relaxed and improved mental
  state
• Qualitative
• Patient response and feedback

• Computer
• National Instruments LabVIEW software controls
  3501 DAQ
• DAQ controls electronic circuit board components
• Electrical
• 120V external power source powers computer and
  circuit board
• Computer ? DAQ ? 10k? Resistor ? Bipolar
  Transistor
• ? Steady State Relay (SSR) ? Solenoid
  (inductor)
• (x20 for all guitar strings)
• Mechanical
• 20 Solenoid banks each admit a magnetic plunger
  which control a pulley system
• A string attached to each plungers transmits the
  force of the admitted plunger to a wooden arm
  below
• Each striker arm hits one of the 20 guitar strings

Results
Figure 1. Dimensional analysis to calculate
theoretical resonant frequencies inside the
dome/soundboard. A given distance in the dome,
which spans 2 nodes, represents half of a
wavelength (only 2 shown). Many more sound waves
exist in the structure. Figures 2 and 3. Low and
high frequency Sine Sweeps using ETF Audio
Software with 3 different microphone positions
(full1, 2full, and 3full). Results show our
device resonates at lower fundamental
frequencies. Using the theoretical resonant
frequencies and actual measurements, the strings
can be tuned to represent the more spatially
significant resonant frequency.
Project Statement
Acknowledgments and References
Construct an advanced and unique prototype to be
used for sound therapy focusing on Electronic
operation Ease of application Patient Therapist
mobility and comfort Successful execution of
sound therapy principles outlined by Thomas
Anderson, MA Effectively alter and improve
subjects mental state Monitor Heart Rate, Blood
Pressure, Frontal Lobe activity (EEG) According
to George Gruhn, expert in stringed musical
instruments, no similar device exists.

• Vanderbilt University Department of Biomedical
  Engineering for financial resources and use of
  BME computing lab
• Robin Midgett for his electrical guidance,
  equipment and general expertise
• Thomas Anderson for his Sound Therapy guidance
  and input and use of his ETF Audio Software and
  EEG Machine
• Vanderbilt University Department of Fine Arts for
  use of the many woodshop tools and equipment and
  the majority of our wood supply
• Krout RE. 2001. The effects of single-session
  music therapy interventions on the observed and
  self-reported levels of pain control, physical
  comfort, and relaxation of hospice patients.
  American Journal of Hospice and Palliative
  Medicine 18, 6383-390.
• Wigram T. 1995. The Art and Science of Music
  Therapy A Handbook. Chur, Switzerland Harwood
  Academic Publishers, 34-49.
• Singh N. 1995.  Effects of Snoezelen room,
  Activities of Daily Living skills training, and
  Vocational skills training on aggression and
  self-injury by adults with mental retardation and
  mental illness. Research in Developmental
  Disabilities. 25(3) 285-293
• Sound Healers Association. 13 Dec. 2007
  lthttp//www.soundhealersassociation.org/gt.

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 2