U.S. patent application number 15/633159 was filed with the patent office on 2017-12-14 for monotonous game-like task to promote effortless automatic recognition of sight words.
The applicant listed for this patent is BrightStar Learning. Invention is credited to Jose Roberto KULLOK, Saul Kullok.
Application Number | 20170358229 15/633159 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46317650 |
Filed Date | 2017-12-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170358229 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
KULLOK; Jose Roberto ; et
al. |
December 14, 2017 |
MONOTONOUS GAME-LIKE TASK TO PROMOTE EFFORTLESS AUTOMATIC
RECOGNITION OF SIGHT WORDS
Abstract
System and methods are provided to promote effortless automatic
recognition of common sight words. A subject performs a game-like
task that generates novel non-verbal visual stimuli that triggers
visual attention shifts that enhance foveal and parafoveal
recognition of non-verbal and verbal stimuli laterally presented in
the right or left visual field. The present invention engages a
shared motor-perceptual-cognitive neural network involving
oculomotor, visuo-motor and selective executive cognitive behaviors
on both brain hemispheres. The present invention has applications
to a wide range of non-verbal pre-orthographic visual processes and
early lexical processes, not only contributing to enabling reading
fluency to dyslexics, reluctant and slow readers, but also to
beginning readers. The present invention has wide applications in
learning disabilities and normative individuals learning to
read.
Inventors: |
KULLOK; Jose Roberto;
(Efrat, IL) ; Kullok; Saul; (Efrat, IL) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
BrightStar Learning |
Jerusalem |
|
IL |
|
|
Family ID: |
46317650 |
Appl. No.: |
15/633159 |
Filed: |
June 26, 2017 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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13326675 |
Dec 15, 2011 |
9691289 |
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15633159 |
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61425845 |
Dec 22, 2010 |
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61429265 |
Jan 3, 2011 |
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61524887 |
Aug 18, 2011 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G09B 23/28 20130101;
A61H 2230/04 20130101; G09B 19/04 20130101; A61B 5/0484 20130101;
A61B 8/0808 20130101; A61H 2230/00 20130101; Y10S 128/905 20130101;
A61B 5/7267 20130101; A61H 2230/10 20130101; G09B 5/00 20130101;
A61B 5/163 20170801; G09B 19/06 20130101; A61B 5/4088 20130101;
G09B 17/003 20130101; A61B 5/7285 20130101; A61H 2230/06 20130101;
A61B 5/486 20130101; G09B 19/00 20130101; A61B 8/543 20130101; G09B
17/006 20130101; A61B 5/7264 20130101; A61B 6/541 20130101; A61B
5/162 20130101; Y10S 128/92 20130101; A61B 5/0022 20130101 |
International
Class: |
G09B 5/00 20060101
G09B005/00; G09B 23/28 20060101 G09B023/28; A61B 5/00 20060101
A61B005/00; G09B 17/00 20060101 G09B017/00; G09B 19/00 20060101
G09B019/00; G09B 19/04 20060101 G09B019/04; A61B 8/00 20060101
A61B008/00; A61B 8/08 20060101 A61B008/08; A61B 5/0484 20060101
A61B005/0484; A61B 6/00 20060101 A61B006/00; A61B 5/16 20060101
A61B005/16; G09B 19/06 20060101 G09B019/06 |
Claims
1. A computer-implemented method for producing interactive
visuo-motor and/or interactive oculomotor non-verbal stimuli in a
subject, the method comprising: initiating a first active resting
cycle (ARC) for a user, wherein the first ARC corresponds to a
first challenging parameter level; displaying a first visualization
of first and second graphical objects on a display communicatively
coupled with one or more processors, the second graphical object
comprising a pathway having a geometric wave form and a graphical
reference marker equidistant from a left and a right borderline of
the pathway, wherein the first graphical object is located within
the left and right borderline of the pathway; receiving, via an
input device communicatively coupled with the one or more
processors, a command from a user to change a display position of
the first graphical object, wherein the command is based on
visuo-motor voluntary control of the user; changing a display
position of the first graphical object on the display based on the
received command from the user; periodically measuring a distance
between the first graphical object and the graphical reference
marker; calculating a performance score for the user based on the
measured distances and the first challenging parameter level;
comparing the performance score for the user to a difficulty
threshold corresponding to the first challenging parameter level to
determine a second challenging parameter level; and initiating a
second ARC for the user, wherein the second ARC corresponds to the
second challenging parameter level.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein changing the display position of
the first graphical object further comprises: applying predefined
kinematical rules to the command to determine a new display
position for the first graphical object.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein calculating the performance score
for the user further comprises: calculating an average of a square
of each measured distance; determining a raw score based on the
calculated average; and applying a score correction factor
associated with the first challenging parameter level to the raw
score;
4. The method of claim 1, wherein comparing the performance score
for the user to the difficulty threshold further comprises:
increasing the first challenging parameter level when the
performance score for the user is higher than the difficulty
threshold; and decreasing the first challenging parameter level
when the performance score for the user is lower than the
difficulty threshold;
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the display position of the first
graphical object is changed under visuo-motor voluntary control of
the subject using a mouse.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the first
visualization of the first graphical object on the display
comprises displaying a first graphic mobile planar object
configured to move along a predefined area of the second graphical
object represented as a second graphic mobile planar object.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first graphical object is
selected from a group of graphic mobile objects comprising a car, a
bird, a panther, and a yacht.
8. The method of claim 1, further comprising: providing sensorial
feedback information to the subject comprising a degree of
navigation smoothness of the first graphical object.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the second graphical object is
selected from a group of graphical objects comprising a road, a
river, and a canyon.
10. A system for producing interactive visuo-motor and/or
interactive oculomotor non-verbal stimuli in a subject, the system
comprising: a memory; and at least one processor coupled to the
memory and configured to: initiate a first active resting cycle
(ARC) for a user, wherein the first ARC corresponds to a first
challenging parameter level; display a first visualization of first
and second graphical objects on a display communicatively coupled
with one or more processors, the second graphical object comprising
a pathway having a geometric wave form and a graphical reference
marker equidistant from a left and a right borderline of the
pathway, wherein the first graphical object is located within the
left and right borderline of the pathway; receive, via an input
device communicatively coupled with the one or more processors, a
command from a user to change a display position of the first
graphical object, wherein the command is based on visuo-motor
voluntary control of the user; change a display position of the
first graphical object on the display based on the received command
from the user; periodically measure a distance between the first
graphical object and the graphical reference marker; calculate a
performance score for the user based on the measured distances and
the first challenging parameter level; compare the performance
score for the user to a difficulty threshold corresponding to the
first challenging parameter level to determine a second challenging
parameter level; and initiate a second ARC for the user, wherein
the second ARC corresponds to the second challenging parameter
level.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein to change the display position
of the first graphical object the at least one processor is further
configured to: apply predefined kinematical rules to the command to
determine a new display position for the first graphical
object.
12. The system of claim 10, wherein to calculate the performance
score for the user the at least one processor is further configured
to: calculate an average of a square of each measured distance;
determine a raw score based on the calculated average; and apply a
score correction factor associated with the first challenging
parameter level to the raw score;
13. The system of claim 10, wherein to compare the performance
score for the user to the difficulty threshold the at least one
processor is further configured to: increase the first challenging
parameter level when the performance score for the user is higher
than the difficulty threshold; and decrease the first challenging
parameter level when the performance score for the user is lower
than the difficulty threshold;
14. The system of claim 10, wherein the display position of the
first graphical object is changed under visuo-motor voluntary
control of the subject using a mouse.
15. The system of claim 10, wherein to display the first
visualization of the first graphical object the at least one
processor is further configured to display a first graphic mobile
planar object configured to move along a predefined area of the
second graphical object represented as a second graphic mobile
planar object.
16. The system of claim 10, wherein the first graphical object is
selected from a group of graphic mobile objects comprising a car, a
bird, a panther, and a yacht.
17. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one processor is
further configured to: provide sensorial feedback information to
the subject comprising a degree of navigation smoothness of the
first graphical object.
18. The system of claim 10, wherein the second graphical object is
selected from a group of graphical objects comprising a road, a
river, and a canyon.
19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage device having
computer-executable instructions stored thereon for producing
interactive visuo-motor and/or interactive oculomotor non-verbal
stimuli in a subject, execution of which, by a computing device,
causes the computing device to perform operations comprising:
initiating a first active resting cycle (ARC) for a user, wherein
the first ARC corresponds to a first challenging parameter level;
displaying a first visualization of first and second graphical
objects on a display communicatively coupled with one or more
processors, the second graphical object comprising a pathway having
a geometric wave form and a graphical reference marker equidistant
from a left and a right borderline of the pathway, wherein the
first graphical object is located within the left and right
borderline of the pathway; receiving, via an input device
communicatively coupled with the one or more processors, a command
from a user to change a display position of the first graphical
object, wherein the command is based on visuo-motor voluntary
control of the user; changing a display position of the first
graphical object on the display based on the received command from
the user; periodically measuring a distance between the first
graphical object and the graphical reference marker; calculating a
performance score for the user based on the measured distances and
the first challenging parameter level; comparing the performance
score for the user to a difficulty threshold corresponding to the
first challenging parameter level to determine a second challenging
parameter level; and initiating a second ARC for the user, wherein
the second ARC corresponds to the second challenging parameter
level.
20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim
19, wherein to compare the performance score for the user to the
difficulty threshold the operations further comprise: increasing
the first challenging parameter level when the performance score
for the user is higher than the difficulty threshold; and
decreasing the first challenging parameter level when the
performance score for the user is lower than the difficulty
threshold;
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of a prior nonprovisional
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/326,675, filed Dec. 15, 2011,
titled "MONOTONOUS GAME-LIKE TASK TO PROMOTE EFFORTLESS AUTOMATIC
RECOGNITION OF SIGHT WORDS," which claims the benefit of U.S.
Provisional Patent Application No. 61/425,845, filed Dec. 22, 2010,
entitled "SYSTEM FOR MEMORY ENCODING IN CONJUNCTION WITH GAME-LIKE
EXERCISES AND METHODS USEFUL IN CONJUNCTION THEREWITH", of U.S.
Provisional Patent Application No. 61/429,265, filed Jan. 3, 2011,
entitled "IMPROVED SYSTEM FOR MEMORY ENCODING IN CONJUNCTION WITH
GAME-LIKE EXERCISES AND METHODS USEFUL IN CONJUNCTION THEREWITH",
and of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/524,887, filed
Aug. 18, 2011, entitled "AGILEEYE READER", all of which are
incorporated by reference in their entireties herein.
[0002] This application is also related to U.S. Pat. No. 7,309,315,
issued Dec. 18, 2007, entitled "APPARATUS, METHOD, AND COMPUTER
PROGRAM PRODUCT TO FACILITATE ORDINARY VISUAL PERCEPTION VIA AN
EARLY PERCEPTUAL-MOTOR EXTRACTION OF RELATIONAL INFORMATION FROM A
LIGHT STIMULI ARRAY TO TRIGGER AN OVERALL VISUAL-SENSORY MOTOR
INTEGRATION IN A SUBJECT", which is incorporated by reference in
its entirety herein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates generally to visual
recognition in human subjects, and, more particularly, to promoting
automatic recognition of sight words via generation of non-verbal
stimuli that manipulate dyslexics' and poor readers' visual spatial
attention.
Background Art
[0004] At a first glance, reading seems almost magical: our gaze
lands on orthographic signs lying in serial order next to each
other, and our brains effortlessly give us access to their meaning
and pronunciation. However, reading is far from simple. It is an
exceptionally complicated task that involves visual processing and
optomotor functions. In order to read, our brain recruits in just
about 280 milliseconds, neural networks scattered in many different
and distant regions of the cortex across both brain
hemispheres.
[0005] Reading starts in the central part of the retina, called the
fovea, an area dense in high-resolution photoreceptor cells which
are sensitive to light. The fovea occupies about 13 degrees of the
visual field, and is the only part of the retina that is truly
useful for reading. The need for printed text to reach the fovea
explains why reading is a dynamic motion task. Our eyes don't sweep
a text in a constant fashion, quite the contrary; they sweep a text
in small steps/leaps called saccades. Our eyes attain a
quasi-stationary state called a fixation that lasts about 220-300
milliseconds for familiar words or up to 500 milliseconds for
unfamiliar words. When the eyes fixate, visual information can be
extracted and decoded for meaning. During a fixation, the eyes have
access to three regions: the foveal, the parafoveal, and the
peripheral. The foveal region is the area with the sharpest acuity
and includes 2 degrees of visual angle around the point of
fixation, where 1 degree is equal to two or three letters (thus,
four to six letters are in focus). The parafoveal region extends to
about 15-20 letters, and the peripheral region includes everything
in the visual field beyond the parafoveal region.
[0006] Visual precision is optimal at the center of gaze and
gradually decreases towards the periphery since fewer cells are
allocated to that portion of the visual scenery. In fact, our
perceptual span enables us to identify only about ten or twelve
letters per saccade: three or four to the left of the fixation
point, and seven or eight to the right of the fixation point.
Proficient readers make regressions to text already scanned about
10-15 percent of the time. The main difference between fast and
slow readers is that the latter consistently show longer average
fixation durations (350-500 milliseconds), shorter saccades, and
more frequent regressions. In general, problems in oculomotor
control have been considered in poor readers and dyslexics because
they show an abnormal pattern of their fixation-saccadic eye
movements during reading.
[0007] Mainstream scientific research theorizes that many of the
reading anomalies observed in developmental dyslexia and in poor
readers have been causally linked principally to the Posterior
Parietal Cortex (PPC) and magnocellular deficit, but also, to a
mild degree, to cerebellar deficits. Indeed, PPC seems to be the
`crossroads of the brain`. See, Critchley M "The Parietal Lobes",
London, Hafner Press, (1953). It is generally accepted that the PPC
is responsible for (a) sensorimotor integration. See, Goodale M A,
Milner A D, "Sight unseen: An exploration of conscious and
unconscious vision". Oxford University Press, Oxford-New York,
(2004); Milner A D, Goodale M A, "The Visual Brain in Action",
Oxford University Press, Oxford, (1995); Pisella L, Grea H,
Tilikete C, Vighetto A, Desmurget M, Rode G, Boisson D, Rossetti Y,
"An `Automatic Pilot` for the hand in human posterior parietal
cortex: Toward reinterpreting optic ataxia", Nat. Neurosci 3:
729-736, (2000); (b) spatial attention. See, Bisley J W &
Goldberg M E "Neuronal activity in the lateral intraparietal area
and spatial attention", Science 299:81-86, (2003a); Corbetta M
& Shulman G L "Control of goal-directed and stimulus-driven
attention in the brain," Nat Rev Neurosci 3:201-215, (2002);
Laberge D, "Attentional Control: Brief and prolong". Psychol Res
66:230-233, (2002); Stein J, Glickstein M, "Role of the cerebellum
in visual guidance of movement". Physiol Rev 72:972-1017, (1992);
and (c) eye movement. See, Andersen R A "Visual and eye movement
functions of the posterior parietal cortexa". Ann Rev Neurosci
12:377-403, (1989); Bisley J W, Golberg M E, "The role of the
parietal cortex in the neural processing of saccadic eye
movements," Adv Neurol 93: 141-157, (2003b). Dyslexics perform
worse in tasks which are thought to be mediated by the PPC. For
example, dyslexics have problems with spatial attention focusing
(orienting), smooth pursuit of targets, temporal planning of
fixations (stable gaze) and saccadic eye movements (e.g. saccadic
inhibition) and demonstrate symptoms similar to those suffering
from unilateral neglect (e.g. LHF inattention vs. RHF enhance
recognition).
[0008] Eye movements and attention are closely related. The shift
of attention from one object to another is usually followed by a
saccade, i.e., a fast jump of the gaze aiming to foveate the new
object of interest. Both an attention shift and the subsequent
saccade are parts of the orienting response. To illustrate the
latter, Biscaldi et al. measured saccadic eye movements in a single
target (re-fixation) and in a sequential-target task (target jumped
from one position to another). See, Biscaldi M, Gezeck S, Stuhr V,
"Poor saccadic control correlates with dyslexia," Neuropsychologia,
36:1189-1202, (1998). Their research indicated that, in relation to
normal readers, dyslexics have much more scattered saccadic
reaction times, i.e., many express saccades (i.e., saccades with
latencies<135 misc.) and late saccades. They suggested that
dyslexics' attentional shortcomings are responsible for their
poorer saccadic control. In particular, they claimed that deficits
in selective attention might result in deficits in fixation
disengagements, and consequently in increased generation of late
saccade and irregular saccade triggering.
[0009] The involvement of visual spatial attention in reading
disorders has been clearly pointed out by Stein and Walsh. (See,
Stein J, Walsh V, "To see but not to read; the magnocellular theory
of dyslexia," Trends Neurosci 20:147-152, 1997). Visual spatial
attention research in developmental dyslexia suggests that mastery
of reading fluency may be delayed or impaired due to lack of
automatic and effortless sight words' identification. The lack of
automatic and effortless sight words' identification is manifested
in anticipation of letters, frequent errors in reading word
endings, misplacement of letters within a word, hesitated,
interrupted and slow reading. Accordingly, Facoetti et al suggested
that visual disorders, often associated with dyslexia, might be
determined by a deficit of spatial attention, that is, a deficit of
the mechanisms that inhibit lateral information distraction
(attentional focus deficit). See, Facoetti A, Paganoni P, Lorusso M
L, "The spatial distribution of visual attention in developmental
dyslexia," Exp Brain Res 132:531-538, (2000a).
[0010] Still, additional studies centering on visual search tasks,
have found that dyslexic children show poorer visual search
performances in the left visual field (LVF) than in the right
visual field (RVF), thus confirming asymmetric performances in
dyslexic subjects. See, Eden G F, Stein J F, Wood F B,
"Visuospatial ability and language processing in reading disabled
and normal children," In: Wright S F, Groner R (ed) "Studies in
visual information processing: facets of dyslexia and its
remediation". North-Holland, Amsterdam, pp 321-335, (1993); Fowler
M S, Richardson A J, Stein J F "Orthoptic investigation of
neurological patients undergoing rehabilitation," Br Orthoptic J
48:2-27 (1991). Hari and Koivikko suggested that compared with the
RVF, dyslexics suffer from "mini-neglect" in the LVF. See, Hari R,
Koivikko H, "Left-side mini-neglect and attentional sluggishness in
dyslexic adult," Soc Neurosci Abstr 25:1634, (1999). Based on
Temporal Order Judgment (TOJ) research, showing a left-right
asymmetry, Hari et al again hypothesized that dyslexics showed a
LVF mini-neglect syndrome, a disadvantage of the left visual
hemifield in selecting and processing visual information. See, Hari
R, Renvall H, Tanskanen T "Left mini-neglect in dyslexic adults,"
Brain 124: 1373-1380, (2001). According to Hari et al, the
mini-neglect syndrome is caused by magnocellular deficit. See, Hari
R, Renvall H, Tanskanen T "Left minineglect in dyslexic adults,"
Brain 124: 1373-1380, (2001). Indeed, since the magnocellular
system projects mostly to the parietal cortex, and the circuits
controlling attention are located in the dorsal system, a diffuse
functional disruption of the magnocellular pathway could weaken the
input to this cortex. Moreover, the unilateral neglect syndrome
usually stems from an impairment of the right, rather than the
left, parietal cortex. Therefore, it seems reasonable to assume
that generally weakened magnocellular input should result in a LVF
disadvantage. This lateral spatial attention deficit in the LVF
appears to be linked to a contralateral RVF enhancement in the
processing of visual information, as demonstrated by an increased
ability of dyslexics in letter recognition in the RVF. See, Geiger
G, Lettvin J Y, Fahle M, "Dyslexic children learn a new strategy
for reading: a controlled experiment," Vision Res 34:1223-1233
(1994). A strong inhibition in the LVF ("mini-neglect" in the left
visual field) could also hamper rapid and exact planning of
regression saccades (backward movements from right to left) that is
fundamental for fluent and correct reading and which is known to be
altered in children with dyslexia. See, Morris R K, Rayner K "Eye
movements in skilled reading: implications for developmental
dyslexia". In: Stein J F (ed) "Vision and visual dyslexia"
MacMillan Press, London, 233-242 (1991).
[0011] Facoetti and Molteni also investigated the gradient of
visual spatial attention in dyslexic children and in children with
normal reading skills. Normally-reading children showed a normal
symmetric distribution of spatial attention. In contrast, children
with dyslexia showed an anomalous and asymmetric distribution of
spatial attention. They hypothesized that a selective disorder of
spatial attention is to blame for the spatial attention asymmetry
(left inattention and right over-distractibility). See, Facoetti A,
Molteni M, "The gradient of visual attention in developmental
dyslexia," Neuropsychologia 39:352-357 (2001). Indeed, dyslexics
exhibited a reduced interference effect in the LVF (mild left
inattention), associated with a strong interference effect in the
RVF (right over-distractibility) See, Facoetti A, Turatto M,
"Asymmetrical visual fields distribution of attention in dyslexic
children: a neuropsychological study," Neurosci Lett 290:216-218
(2000). An excessive inhibition of LVF stimuli (left inattention),
associated with a lack of inhibition of RVF stimuli (right
over-distractibility) may influence the automation skill necessary
for effortless visuo-perceptual identification and decoding process
of words, either by an anomalous suppression of identification of
letters in the left side of a string, or by a difficulty in the
inhibition of orienting visual attention (saccades) towards
distracting visual peripheral stimuli coming from the RVF, which
corresponds to the direction of reading of most languages.
[0012] Other evidence suggests that the magnocellular system, which
plays a crucial role in the shifting of attention, is defective.
See, Steinman B A, Steinman S B, Lehmkuhle S, "Transient visual
attention is dominated by the magnocellular stream," Vision Res
36:589-599 (1996); Stein J, Walsh V, "To see but not to read; the
magnocellular theory of dyslexia," Trends Neurosci 20:147-152
(1997). The Magnocellular system, which processes information about
location and movement of visual stimuli, may affect reading by
hampering the focus of attention (which requires precise coding of
stimulus location). It has been shown that Magno cells dominate the
dorsal-system projection from the primary visual cortex and further
on to the parietal lobe's attentional and eye movement control
regions. See, Livingstone M S, Hubel D H, "Segregation of form,
color movement, and depth: anatomy, physiology and perception,"
Science 240:740-749 (1988). Therefore, an impaired dorsal-system
flow of visual information reaching the Posterior Parietal Cortex
(PPC) is suspected of compromising visual attention orienting in
dyslexic children. See, Vidyasagar T R, "A neural model of
attentional spotlight: parietal guiding the temporal," Brain Res
Rev 30:66-76 (1999). Of relevance, Eden et al. found poor smooth
pursuit, (smoothly tracking a slowly moving object in the visual
field) in a dyslexic group, particularly when pursuing a target
moving from left to right. Eden et al. proposed that eye-movement
abnormalities might be due to the insufficient inhibition of
Parvocellular activity from magnocellular activity. It should be
also noted that left-right asymmetry reported by Eden et al. fits
very well with the mini-neglect hypothesis. See, Eden G F, Stein J
F, Wood M H, Wood F B, "Differences in eye movements and reading
problems in dyslexic and normal children," Vision Res 34:1345-1358
(1994).
[0013] Still on the magnocellular system involvement in eye
movements and visual spatial attention, there is also a direct
contribution of dorsal transient circuits to visuo-motor activity,
or as Goodale et al. put it, there are two different kinds of
vision: vision-for-perception and vision-for-action.
Vision-for-action is thought to extract the information which is
necessary for immediate use from the dorsal visual stream in fast
motor actions and to rely on computations made mainly in the dorsal
system. See, Goodale M A, Westwood D A, Milner A D, "Two distinct
modes of control for object-directed action," Prog Brain Res 144:
131-144 (2004).
[0014] Still on establishing a causal link between dyslexia and a
deficit in the magnocellular system, there is strong research
evidence suggesting that about two-thirds of dyslexic people have a
low level deficit of the magnocellular visual system (Lovegrove,
W., Martin, F., and Slaghuis, W. A theoretical and experimental
case for a visual deficit in specific reading disability, Cognitive
Neuropsychol, 3, 225-67, 1986). Several studies have been conducted
to compare the average performance of dyslexics to that of good
readers. In general, these studies have found that: a) there is a
reduced ability to detect flicker in dyslexic children, b) although
there is a reduced ability to detect coarse detail, a normal
ability was found to detect fine detail, c) there tends to be a
prolonged persistence of the visual image, and d) dyslexic people
have a decreased ability to detect fine motion. Additional studies
discuss the higher perceptual outcomes level of magnocellular
pathway impairment in dyslexic populations including perceptual
grouping (Williams, M. C. and Bologna, N. B., Perceptual grouping
in good and poor readers. Perception and Psychophysics 38, 367-375,
1985), (Solman, R. T., Cho, H., and Dain, S. J. Colour-mediated
grouping effects in good and disabled readers, Ophtal. Physiol.
Opt. 11, 320-7, 1991), sluggish foveal temporal processing, lack of
inhibitory processes in peripheral visual processing spatial
localization discrepancies Solman, R. T., May, J. G. Spatial
localization discrepancies: a visual deficiency in poor readers,
Am. J. Psychol. 103, 243-263, 1990), impaired visual temporal order
judgment (May, J. G., Williams, M. C., Dunlap, W. P. Temporal order
judgment in good and poor readers, Neuropsychologia 26, 917-24,
1988), improved visual search with target blurring, (Williams, M.
C., May, J. G., Solman, R., Zhou, H. The effects of spatial
filtering and contrast reduction on visual search times in good and
poor readers, Vision Res., 35, 285-91, 1995) and impaired visual
search when distractors are present (Visyasagar, T., R. Pammer, K.
Impaired visual search in dyslexia relates to the role of the
magnocellular pathway in attention, NeuroReport, 10, 1283-7,
1999).
[0015] Accordingly, what is desired are systems and methods that
promote eye-hand coordination.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0016] The present invention discloses, in a non-limiting
embodiment, the novel implementation of a game-like task to promote
eye-hand coordination via visuo-motor guided control of limb
movements (e.g. the navigation of a graphical object [e.g. a car]
by using a computer mouse to/and exerting repetitive right to left
strokes' movements and vise a versa, trying to maintain the car as
close as possible to a dividing line in the center of a road on a
screen display.)
[0017] It is a feature of the present invention to provide a system
that promotes effortless automatic sight word recognition of
connected written text via delivery of non-verbal visual
stimuli.
[0018] It is a further object of the invention to provide a system
that promotes effortless automatic sight word recognition via
delivery of novel non-verbal visual stimuli triggering visual
spatial attention shifts in order to enhance fast recognition and
processing of verbal and non-verbal target stimuli in either the
left or right visual hemifield of a subject.
[0019] It is still further a feature of the invention to provide a
system that promotes effortless automatic sight words recognition
via delivery of novel non-verbal visual stimuli promoting
inhibitory control of dorsal magnocellular transient neural
networks, enabling accurate temporal planning of oculomotor
movements, namely enabling proper transitions between stable gaze
and eye saccades.
[0020] It is still further a feature of the invention to provide a
system that promotes effortless automatic sight word recognition
via delivery of novel non-verbal visual stimuli by the execution of
a monotonous game-like task that consists in fast repetitive
visuo-motor loops that strongly captivate the attentional focus of
a subject in a manner that rapidly discriminates and processes
salient features of a moving target(s), mainly in the fovea and
parafoveal visual field. This motion-for-action novel visuo-motor
activity greatly diminishes reorienting towards competitive
distracting sensorial stimuli in the peripheral visual field,
particularly for distracting sensorial stimuli in the RVF.
[0021] It is still a feature of the invention to provide a system
that promotes effortless automatic sight words recognition of
connected text via delivery of novel non-verbal visual stimuli
targeting lexical processes underlying and contributing to reading
fluency.
[0022] It is still further a feature of the invention to provide a
system that promotes effortless automatic sight words' recognition
via delivery of novel non-verbal visual stimuli for the execution
of tasks where allocation of attentional resources will enable to
focus in order to discriminate, process, retrieve and guide
visuo-motor movement loops, while eliciting mild to low arousal in
a subject.
[0023] It is yet further a feature of the invention to provide a
system that promotes effortless automatic sight words recognition
via delivery of novel non-verbal visual stimuli for the execution
of tasks that will delay immediate self-gratification (e.g.
score).
[0024] These and other features of the invention are accomplished
in accordance with the principles of embodiments of the invention
by systems and methods to promote in dyslexics and poor readers' an
effortless automatic recognition of sight words by manipulating
spatial attention when interacting with a monotonous game-like
task. The herein teachings represent significant advances over the
prior art.
[0025] We hypothesize that the teachings of the present invention
represent a quantum leap in introducing novel ways of promoting
plasticity in neural networks involved in reading. The present
invention also teaches retraining of neural networks involved in
reading via generation of novel non-verbal stimuli information that
also triggers mild to low arousal in a subject. Such neural
networks consist of (a) neural circuits involved in allocation and
shifting of visual spatial attention; (b) transient neural dorsal
circuits involved in timing and coordination of eye movements; and
(c) perceptual-visuo-motor neural circuitry guiding eye-hand
movements' loops. The multicomponent neural network that enables
reading, although distributed across multiple areas in the brain,
works in unison to promote, in a brief speck of time (about 280
milliseconds), automatic and effortless sight recognition of
connected printed text, namely sight words recognition. Mastering
an effortless and automatic recognition of sight words and their
meaning enables reading fluency in dyslexics and poor readers,
compensating in a relative short period of time for their
disability and shortcomings in reading and enhancing their
potential for integration in a modern literate society.
[0026] The present invention teaches an innovative but monotonous
game-like task that promotes effortless automatic sight words
recognition via delivery of novel non-verbal visual stimuli. The
herein novel non-verbal visual stimuli also trigger visual spatial
attention shifts in order to enhance fast recognition and
processing of verbal and non-verbal target stimuli in either the
left or right visual hemifield of a subject, preferably enhancing
attentional focus at foveal and parafoveal targets (verbal and
non-verbal stimuli) on the RVF of a subject mediated by the LH. The
present invention teaches a game-like task that instigates
neuroplasticity in a subject engaged in it which re-trains neural
networks involved in promoting effortless automatic sight word
recognition and brings about an inhibitory control upon oculomotor,
visuo-motor movement loops and related selective executive
cognitive behaviors mediated by the PFC. The present invention
discloses a novel monotonous game-like task which consists in the
generation of non-verbal stimuli and motor-perceptual-cognitive
strategies directed towards sustaining a subject's physiological
arousal in the mild to low levels; a main strategy disclosed in the
present invention consists in not displaying any real-time feedback
information about a subject's actual performance while he is
engaged in the game-like task. A subject actuating the herein
game-like task must forgo and/or postpone performance
gratification. Accordingly, the present invention teaches that at
such mild to low physiological arousal levels, a subject's
alertness and attention will optimally promote effortless automatic
sight word recognition via effective targeting of lexical
processes, therefore improving a subject's reading fluency
competency (higher arousal might result in the extreme
opposite--attention deficit).
[0027] In an embodiment, in the first visuo-motor navigation stage,
a subject navigates a first non-verbal stimuli (a graphical mobile
object, a "yellow car" for example), maintaining it as long as
possible and as close as possible to the dividing line in the
center of a road in which it travels. A subject interacts with the
game-like task via actuating fast repetitive linear movements along
the horizontal "x" axis of a display, in left to right and right to
left directions (repetitive eye-hand/fingers visuo-motor loops
exercised in the same direction that our eyes and our hand move
when reading or writing). According to an internal score attained
during this mild to intensive navigation stage, a subject is
presented with a number of difficulties comprising graphical
objects or effects (e.g. rain, fog, etc.) that will challenge a
subject ability to maintain the first non-verbal stimuli graphical
planar mobile object close as possible to the dividing line in the
center of a road in which it travels. This first navigation stage
of mild to intensive visuo-motor activity lasts for 63 seconds.
[0028] In a second visuo-motor navigation stage, a subject
experiences a gradual decrease of his/her visuo-motor activity by
smoothly and slowly navigating a first graphical planar mobile
object (e.g. car) and accurately maintaining it on a central
dividing line in a road. This novel kind of navigation elicits
ocular smooth tracking pursue upon the first non-verbal stimuli
graphical mobile object this second navigation stage of decreased
visuo-motor activity lasts for 21 seconds.
[0029] In a third stage, there is no interactive visuo-motor
activity, only passive oculomotor tracking movements on a
non-verbal planar object. A subject's eyes passively track
generated novel planar non-verbal stimuli. The smooth tracking of
novel generated planar non-verbal stimuli generates a further
inhibitory effect upon a subject's oculomotor and selective neural
networks in the PFC. The herein game-like task generates smooth
tracking of novel generated planar non-verbal stimuli that has an
instantaneous psychophysiological effect that is immediately felt
by a subject passively eye tracking the said display of novel
planar non-verbal stimuli. Accordingly, the smooth tracking of
novel generated planar non-verbal stimuli triggers a real-time
autonomic parasympathetic response, namely inducing a further
calming effect thus contributing to reducing/decreasing a subject's
arousal condition to mild-low levels. This third passive eye
tracking stage of oculomotor activity lasts variably between 14 to
63 seconds, in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention. Stages 1, 2 and 3 are recurrent in a loop of a minimal 4
times to a maximal 6 times, in accordance with an embodiment of the
present invention.
[0030] The herein novel game-like task is displayed in a
non-curvilinear surface display. More so, the game-like task is not
displayed in "full screen"; rather, it is only displayed at the
center portion of the screen (has surrounding limiting margins), in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0031] We describe the game-like task of the present invention to
be "monotonous" since it does not trigger or induce: 1) Increase of
aggressive thoughts, which in turn increase the likelihood that a
mild or ambiguous provocation will be interpreted in a hostile
fashion; 2) Increase of aggressive physical affect 3) Increase of
general physiological arousal (e.g. a sustaining long term increase
in heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, etc.) which tends to
further promote the dominant emotional behavioral tendency
physiologically supported by high sympathetic activity. 4) Direct
imitation of recently observed aggressive behaviors. In summary,
the absence of explicit real-time feedback about actual
performance, elicits in a subject a perceptual-cognitive labeling
about the novel nature of the novel game-like task being
monotonous, boring and, to some degree, the subjective feeling
about the overall experience of performing the game-like task as
not being fun.
[0032] Further features and advantages of the invention, as well as
the structure and operation of various embodiments of the
invention, are described in detail below with reference to the
accompanying drawings. It is noted that the invention is not
limited to the specific embodiments described herein. Such
embodiments are presented herein for illustrative purposes only.
Additional embodiments will be apparent to persons skilled in the
relevant art(s) based on the teachings contained herein.
Exemplary Definitions
[0033] To aid the description of embodiments of the invention, this
section provides definitions of terms used herein. These
definitions are intended to provide an exemplary understanding of
the embodiments disclosed herein, and are not necessarily
limiting.
[0034] "Sight word" refers to any word that is recognized by a
reader effortlessly and automatically. For the most part, sight
words can't be taught through pictures and/or phonics instruction,
since phonic analysis and decoding rules generally do not apply to
sight words. Therefore, sight words cannot be "sounded out", and
must be learned by sight. To learn sight words, a child will need
to have them memorized. Some examples of sight words are: for, to,
the, of, and, that, in, you, I, and she. Sight words are also words
that have very high usage, particularly in the early stages of
reading. Studies show that sight words make up 50-75 percent of all
words used in school books, library books, newspapers, and
magazines. The 25 most common sight words make up about one-third
of all written material. Without any doubt, sight words play an
important role in a child's early education and his reading
abilities' acquisition. Mastering automatic and effortless sight
words recognition will ultimately help a child develop into a
smooth and proficient reader.
[0035] "Non-verbal stimuli" refers to visual cues which have
non-orthographic representations. Orthographic representations are
single letters and/or the alphabetic code of any language and/or a
string of connected letters representing words, pseudo-words, or
non-words. Examples of non-verbal stimuli include visual cues which
depict non-orthographic visual representations such as geometrical
shapes and/or colors and/or numbers, their possible
spatial-temporal-kinematical states and/or combinations and/or
arrangements.
[0036] "Oculomotor" refers to, generally speaking, how the brain
controls the muscles that focus and move the eyes. In particular,
the oculomotor nerve is the third of twelve paired cranial nerves.
It controls most of the eye's movement, constriction of the pupil,
and maintains an open eyelid. Cranial nerves IV and VI also
participate in control of eye movement.
[0037] "Visuo-motor" refers denoting the ability to synchronize in
the cerebral cortex visual information with physical movement or
pertaining to those motor activities that are dependent on visual
coordination. Cortical visual information processing in the brain
is transformed for different purposes in different ways.
Visuo-motor herein denotes vision for action being the visual
control of skilled actions in relation to targets. Vision for
action is served by the dorsal stream. The dorsal stream guides
action by registering visual information about the target in a
moment-to moment basis. This bottom-up visual information reaching
from the retina is transformed to specify the required movement
parameters, such as the kinematical path for reaching and the
required grip aperture for grasping the target. See, Goodale M A,
Milner A D "Separate visual pathways for perception and action"
Trends in Neuroscience, 15, 20-25, (1992); Goodale M A, Milner A D,
"Sight unseen: An exploration of conscious and unconscious vision"
Oxford University Press, Oxford-New York, (2004); Milner A D,
Goodale M A "Visual pathways to perception and action" In T P
Hicks, S. Molotchnikoff & T. Ono (Eds.) Progress in Brain
Research, 95: 317-337, (1993), Amsterdam: Elsevier; Milner A D,
Goodale M A "The Visual Brain in Action", Oxford University Press,
Oxford, (1995); and Milner A D, Goodale M A "The Visual Brain in
Action" Second Edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press,
(2006).
[0038] "Eye (ocular) fixation" refers to the maintenance of the
visual gaze (the fovea) on a single fixed location. Eye fixation
refers to directing the gaze (positioning and accommodation of the
eyes) in such a manner that the visual image of the object falls on
the fovea centralis of the retina, the area where vision is the
most acute. The human body typically alternates saccades and visual
fixations. Fixational eye movement occurs involuntarily, and visual
fixation is never perfectly steady. Reading involves fixating on
successive locations across the page or screen. The average
fixation time duration in reading is in the order of 200 to 250
msec. Readers acquire information from text only during fixations.
See, Wolverton G S, Zola D A "The temporal characteristics of
visual information extraction during reading" in K. Rayner (Ed.),
Eye movements in reading: Perceptual and language processes, 41-51,
(1983), New York: Academic.
[0039] "Eye saccades" refers to a fast movement of the eye, a
rapid, small, abrupt eye movement, as that which occurs when the
eyes fix on one point after another in the visual field. In human
eyes, large saccades reach peak velocities of up to 800.degree./s.
Saccades serve to bring the retinal image of an object of interest
to be situated on the fovea. Saccades are initiated by eye fields
in the frontal and parietal lobes of the brain and are the fastest
movements produced by the human body; once underway they cannot be
altered by will. Eye saccades serve as a mechanism for fixation,
typically very accurate, bringing the eyes to within a fraction of
a degree of the desired position. Saccades to an unexpected
stimulus normally require about 200 msc to initiate, and then last
from about 20-200 msc, depending on their amplitude (20-30 msc is
typical in language reading). In addition to the saccadic motion,
the eyes vibrate at a rate of about 30 to 70 hertz. These
vibrations cause the eye to refresh the image to the brain. The
vibrations are named microsaccades. Of most importance is the fact
that the brain cannot retain an image if our eyes fixate on it
without moving. The function of the eye-brain connection is complex
and requires perpetual movements to continually make impressions on
the brain. Eye saccades also serve as a mechanism to generate rapid
eye movement and the fast phase of optokinetic nystagmus.
[0040] "Visual attention" refers to what we see at any given
instance, which is determined by what we attend to in the
environment. Because the human brain is limited in its ability to
process information, shifting of visual attention is necessary as
it allows us to redirect attention to aspects of the environment
which are more relevant to us. At any given time, the environment
presents far more perceptual information than can be effectively
processed. Visual attention is a selective information mechanism
shows us to bring to focus information that is most relevant to our
ongoing behavior. First, visual attention can be used to select
behaviorally relevant information and/or to ignore the irrelevant
or interfering information. Second, attention can modulate or
enhance this selected information according to the state and goals
of the perceiver.
[0041] "Visual attentional shifts/orienting" refers to the idea of
attention being like a movable spotlight (moving-spotlight theory)
that is directed towards intended targets in the environment,
focusing on each target in a serial manner. When information is
illuminated by the spotlight, hence attended, processing proceeds
in a more efficient manner. However, when a shift of spatial
attention occurs, the spotlight is, in effect, turned off while
attention shifts to the next attended location. See, Sperling G,
Weichselgartner E "Episodic theory of the dynamics of spatial
attention" Psychological Review, 102, 503-532 (1995); LaBerge D,
Carlson R L, Williams J K, Bunney B G "Shifting Attention in Visual
Space: Tests of Moving-Spotlight Models Versus an
Activity-Distribution Model". Journal of Experimental Psychology:
Human Perception and Performance 23(5):1380-1392, (1997). In the
1990s, Posner and Petersen proposed to break attentional shifts
into three distinct stages of visual attention orienting. (See,
Eysenck M W, Keane M T "Cognitive Psychology: A Student's Handbook"
(5th ed.) New York, N.Y.: Psychology Press, 2005). The first stage
relates to visual attention disengagement from where it is
currently focusing. The second stage relates to the physical act of
shifting of one's visual attention from one spatial location to
another. The third stage relates to how visual attention would be
engaged onto the new spatial location. Visual spatial attention
changes can take place with the eyes moving, overtly, or with the
eyes remaining fixated, covertly. See, Wright R D, Ward L M
"Orienting of attention" Oxford University Press, (2008). Prior to
an overt eye movement, where the eyes move to a target location,
covert attention shifts to this location. See, Hoffman J,
Subramaniam B, "The role of visual attention in saccadic eye
movements", Perception & Psychophysics, 57 (6), 787-795,
(1995); Kowler E, Anderson E, Dosher B, and Blaser E. "The role of
attention in the programming of saccades" Vision Research
35:1897-1916, (1995); Deubel H, Schneider W "Saccade target
selection and object recognition: evidence for a common attentional
mechanism" Vision Research 36: 1827-1837, (1996); Peterson M S,
Kramer A F, Irwin D E "Covert shifts of attention precede
involuntary eye movements" Perception & Psychophysics, 66,
398-405, (2004). Nevertheless, it is equally important to
understand that visual attention can also shift covertly to
objects, locations or even to mentation processes (thoughts) while
the eyes remained fixated on some spatial target. Utilizing
functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has illuminated our
understanding of mechanisms that drive visual attention to
different spatial locations and demonstrated that the superior
parietal cortex may play an important role in shifting attention
around spatial locations in space. This would be particularly
important for visual search tasks which require attention to move
from one object to the other. In conclusion, many neural mechanisms
are involved in shifts of visual attention and much of the research
points in the direction of common neural network See, Corbetta M,
Miezin F M, Shulman G L, & Petersen S E "A PET study of
visuospatial attention" Journal of Neuroscience, 13, 1202-1226,
(1993); Nobre A C, Sebestyen G N, Gitelman D R, Mesulam M M,
Frackowiak R S, & Frith, C D "Functional localization of the
system for visuospatial attention using positron emission
tomography" Brain, 120 (Pt 3), 515-533, (1997); Corbetta M, Akbudak
E, Conturo T E, Snyder A Z, Ollinger J M, Drury H A, Linenweber M
R, Petersen S E, Raichle M E, Van Essen D C, Shulman G L "A common
network of functional areas for attention and eye movements" Neuron
21:761-773, (1998).
[0042] "Visual field" refers to what we can see without moving our
heads or eyes. Each eye sees only a portion of this visual field.
The visual field of each eye can be divided into right and left
visual hemifields. Through the optic chasm to the visual cortex,
the visual signals from the left hemifields of both eyes are sent
to the right hemisphere of the brain (the left visual hemifield is
seen by the nasal left retina and temporal right retina) while the
signals from the right hemifields of both eyes are sent to the left
hemisphere of the brain (the right visual hemifield is seen by the
temporal left retina and nasal right retina), so each hemisphere of
the brain is responsible for processing the visual information in
the opposite visual field from both eyes.
[0043] "Dyslexia" refers to a broad term defining a learning
disability that impairs a person's reading fluency or comprehension
and which can manifest itself as a difficulty in phonological
awareness, phonological decoding, orthographic coding, auditory
short-term memory, or rapid naming. Dyslexia is the most common
specific learning difficulty (SpLD) particularly in regards to
literacy (reading and spelling). It affects about 5-10% of the
population, persists throughout life and runs in families. Most
people with dyslexia do not have overt difficulties with spoken
language, yet have marked difficulties with written language. In
dyslexic people, reading and/or spelling are markedly below the
level expected on the basis of age and intelligence. Early common
symptoms of dyslexia among preschool children are: slow learning of
new words, difficulty in rhyming words, and low letter familiarity;
common symptoms of dyslexia among young primary school students
are: difficulty learning the alphabet or letter order, difficulty
with associating sounds with the letters that represent them
(sound-symbol correspondence), difficulty identifying or generating
rhyming words, or counting syllables in words (Facoetti, A.,
Corradi, N., Ruffino, M., Gori, S. and Zorzi, M., Visual Spatial
Attention and Speech Segmentation are both Impaired in Preschoolers
at Familial Risk for Developmental Dyslexia, Dyslexia, 16:226-239,
2010) (phonological awareness), difficulty segmenting words into
individual sounds, or blending sounds to make words (phonemic
awareness), difficulty learning to decode written words and
difficulty with word retrieval or naming problems (Jones, M. W.,
Branigan, H. P and Kelly, M. L., Dyslexia and nondyslexic reading
fluency: Rapid automatized naming and the importance of continuous
lists, Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 16(3), 567-572, 2009);
common symptoms of dyslexia among older primary school students
are: slow or inaccurate reading, very poor spelling, difficulty
reading out loud, reading words in the wrong order, skipping words
and sometimes guessing words, difficulty associating individual
words with their correct meanings, difficulty with time keeping and
concept of time when doing a certain task, and difficulty with
organization skills. Neuroimaging studies using (fMRI) and (PET)
have found clear evidence for structural and functional differences
in children with reading difficulties. It has been found that
people with dyslexia have a deficit in parts of the left hemisphere
of the brain that is associated with the process of reading, which
includes the inferior frontal gyms, inferior parietal lobule, and
middle and ventral temporal cortex (Cao, F, Bitan, T, Chou T,
Burman D. D. and Booth J. R., Deficient orthographic and
phonological representations in children with dyslexia revealed by
brain activation patterns, J Child Psychol Psychiatry, 47 (10):
1041-1050, 2006). A study in the University of Maastricht revealed
that adult dyslexic readers under-activate the superior temporal
cortex for the integration of letters and speech sounds (Blau V.
Atteveldt, N., Ekkebus, M, Goebel R., Blomert L., Reduced Neural
Integration of Letters and Speech Sounds Links Phonological and
Reading Deficits in Adult Dyslexia, Current Biology, 19, 503-508,
2009). Scientists also claim that clues to a neurological cause of
dyslexia may lie in the region of the corpus callosum, a thick
bridge of neural tissue in the middle of the brain connecting the
two hemispheres, conveying information from one side to the
other.
[0044] "Posterior parietal cortex" refers to Broadmann's area 5, 7a
and 7b. Area 5 receives information from somatosensory areas 1, 2,
and 3 of the cortex. Area 7 further integrates the already highly
integrated signals from the visual areas of the cortex, such as MT
and V5. These fields were recognized on cytoarchitectural criteria.
Further neuroanatomical, clinical and physiological investigations
revealed that cells in PPC form small (ca. 0.25 cm.sup.2)
subregions of different connectivity and response properties See,
Andersen R A & Buneo C A "Sensorimotor integration in posterior
parietal cortex" Adv Neurol 93: 159-177, (2003). Traditionally the
posterior parietal cortex was believed to be an "association area",
a higher-level sensory structure responsible for associating
different sensory modalities. Indeed, in both human and non-human
primates is known to play a crucial role in the early integration
of visual information with somatosensory, proprioceptive and
vestibular signals. The PPC plays an important role in producing
planned movements. The parietal cortex receives somatosensory,
proprioceptive, and visual inputs (magnocellular dorsal stream),
and then uses them to determine such things as the positions of the
body and the target in space. It thereby produces internal models
of the movement to be made, prior to the involvement of the
premotor and motor cortices. The parietal lobes are themselves
closely interconnected with the prefrontal areas, and together
these two regions represent the highest level of integration in the
motor control hierarchy. Much of the output of the posterior
parietal cortex goes to areas of frontal motor cortex: the
dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, various areas of the secondary
motor cortex, and the frontal eye field. fMRI studies in monkeys
and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) studies in humans
indicate that the PPC comprises a medley of small areas, each
specialized for guiding particular movements of eyes, head, arms or
hands. Additionally, a number of neuropsychological studies
confirmed the hypothesis that the brain structures controlling
attention are situated in PPC. See, Posner M I & Cohen Y
"Components of visual orienting of attention" J Neurosci 4:
1863-1874, (1984). Two mechanisms of attention are PPC relevant.
See, Corbetta M, Shulman G L "Control of goal-directed and
stimulus-driven attention in the brain," Nat Rev Neurosci
3:201-215, (2002). The first, the stimulus-driven attention
mechanism operates in bottom-up fashion and its role is to capture
an intrinsic property of the stimulus, provided that it is
sufficiently salient to divert attention from the current focus.
Therefore, it enables the processing of novel, unexpected events.
It has been shown that the tasks engaging the stimulus-driven
attention activate the temporo-parietal junction (TPJ). See, Downar
J, Crawley A P, Mikulis D J, Davis K D "The effect of task
relevance on the cortical response to changes in visual and
auditory stimuli: An event-related fMRI study" Neuroimage 14:
1256-1267, (2001). The second, goal-driven, attention mechanism
operates in top-down fashion, is involved in the voluntary control
of attention (superior parietal lobule (SPL) and precuncus (PC) and
consists in shifting or focusing attention according to one's will.
See, Giesbrecht B, Woldorff M G, Song A W, Mangun G R "Neural
mechanisms of top-down control during spatial and feature
attention" Neuroimage 19: 496-512, (2003); Yantis S, Schwarzbach J,
Serences J T, Carlson R L, Steinmetz M A, Pekar J J, Courtney S M
"Transient neural activity in human parietal cortex during spatial
attention shifts", Nat Neurosci 5: 995-1002, (2002). Also important
to PPC are parietal regions controlling eye movements. The
so-called parietal eye field (PEF) is located in the intraparietal
sulcus. Two other nearby structures involved in eye-movement
control are located in TPJ, at the border between the temporal and
parietal lobes. These are the middle temporal area (area MT) and
the medial superior temporal area (MST). See, Pierrot-Deseilligny
C, Gaymard B, Muri R, Rivaud S "Cerebral ocular motor signs", J
Neurol 244: 65-70, (1997). Lesion of PEF leads to elongation of the
latency and reduction of accuracy of reflexive saccades (i.e.,
saccades which are triggered by a visual target suddenly appearing
in the visual field). See, Pierrot-Deseilligny C, Rivaud S, Gaymard
B, Agid Y, "Cortical control of reflexive visually guided saccades
in man", Brain 114: 1473-1485, (1991a); Pierrot-Deseillingny C,
Rivaud S, Gaymard B, Agid Y, "Cortical control of memory-guided
saccades". Ann Neurol 37: 557-567, (1991b). Damage to the PPC can
produce a variety of sensorimotor deficits, including deficits in
the perception and memory of spatial relationships, in accurate
reaching and grasping, in the control of eye movement, and
Inattention. The two most striking consequences of PPC damage are
apraxia (a disorder with motor planning) and hemi spatial neglect.
For example, a stroke affecting the right parietal lobe of the
brain can lead to neglect for the left side of the visual field,
causing a patient with neglect to behave as if the left side of the
sensory space is nonexistent. Parietal deficits have also been
proposed as a cause of developmental dyslexia. Dyslexics were shown
to perform worse on tasks which are thought to be mediated by the
posterior parietal cortex. For example, they have problems with
attention focusing, pursuit and saccadic eye movements and show
some symptoms similar to those shown by people suffering from
unilateral neglect. In summary, the posterior parietal cortex,
which receives most of its input from the magnocellular system (See
(1) Steinman, S. B., Steinman, B. A., Vision and attention. 1:
Current models of visual attention, Optom, Vis. Sci. 75, 146-55,
1998; (2) Steinman, S. B., Steinman, B. A., Trick G. L., Lehmkuhle,
A sensory explanation for visual attention deficits in the elderly,
Omtom. Vis. Sci., 71, 743-9, 1994), plays a critical role in the
influence of visual attention on saccadic, pursuit, and vergence
eye movements (Colby, C. L., The neuroanatomy and neurophysiology
of attention. J. Child Neurol. (suppl) 6, S88-S116, 1991; and
Stein, J. F. Review article: Representation of egocentric space in
the posterior parietal cortex. Quart. J. Exp. Physiol. 74, 583-606,
1989)). Researches have hypothesize that visual attention deficits
might cause ocular motor dysfunction in dyslexics. Prior a saccadic
or pursuit eye movement takes place, visual attention needs to be
oriented to the target position (Hoffman, J. E., Subramaniam, B.
The role of visual attention in saccadic eye movements, Percept.
Psychophys., 57, 787-95, 1995), and shifts in visual attention be
an important mechanism in enabling vergence eye movements
(Shelhamer, M., Merfeld, D. M., Mendoza, J. C. Vergence can be
controlled by audio feedback, and induces downward ocular
deviation. Exp. Brain Research, 101, 169-172, 1994).
[0045] "Visual Magnocellular system" refers to a 10% of ganglion
cells also named M cells, which axons provide visual signals that
travel from the eye to the rest of the brain and which are
noticeable larger (magno-larger in Latin) than the remainder
smaller (parvo-smaller in Latin) ganglion cells. See, Enroth-Kugel
C and Robson J G "The contrast sensitivity of retinal ganglion
cells in the cat" Journal of Physiology, 187, 517-552, (1966);
Shapley R and Perry V H "Cat and monkey retinal ganglion cells and
their functional roles". Trends in Neuroscience, 9, 229-235,
(1986). M cells are primarily concerned with visual perception.
Particularly, these cells are responsible for resolving motion and
coarse outlines. The magno cells have larger receptive fields thus
gather light from a larger area and consequently they are more
sensitive to fast transient changes in light (flickering) and
fast-conducting over a larger area, but not receptive to objects'
fine detail or color. See, Maunsell J H R, Nealey T A and DePriest
D D "Magnocellular and parvocellular contributions to responses in
the Middle Temporal Visual Area (MT) of the macaque monkey".
Journal of Neuroscience, 10 (10), 3323-3334, (1990); Merigan W H
and Maunsell J R "How parallel are the primate visual pathways?"
Annual Reviews in Neuroscience, 16, 369-402, (1993). M cells
project to the primary visual occipital cortex via two ventral
magnocellular layers in the main relay nucleus, the lateral
geniculate nucleus (LGN). As visual information leaves the
occipital lobe, it is processed in the brain in two distinct
pathways, a dorsal stream and a ventral stream. See, Mishkin M,
Ungerleider L G, "Contribution of striate inputs to the
visuospatial functions of parieto-preoccipital cortex in monkeys."
Behav. Brain Res. 6 (1): 57-77, (1982). The dorsal stream commences
with purely visual functions in the occipital lobe before gradually
transferring to visual spatial awareness at its termination in the
parietal lobe. The dorsal stream, commonly referred to as the
"where" stream, is involved in spatial attention (covert and
overt), and communicates with regions that control eye movements
and hand movements. More recently, this area has also been called
the "how" stream to emphasize its role in perception for
action-guiding behaviors to spatial locations. Despite the
intermingling of magno and parvo inputs in the primary visual
cortex, the dorsal stream is dominated by input form the visual
magnocellular system. Therefore, the dorsal stream plays a decisive
role in visual processes guiding eye and limb movements, and it
projects onwards to the frontal eye fields, subcortical visual
structures, such as the superior colliculus (via the thalamus) and
cerebellum, which are all very important for guiding and
controlling visuo-motor behavior. The visual magnocellular system
contributes extensively to reading. The visual magnocellular system
is responsible for timing visual events when reading. Thus,
sensitivity to visual motion seems to help determine development of
orthographic skill in both proficient and reluctant readers. In
general, good magnocellular function is vital for high motion
sensitivity and stable binocular fixation, hence essential for
proper development of orthographic skills.
[0046] "Inhibitory control of cognitive/motor behavior" refers to
inhibitory control, which includes the ability to refrain from
automatically reacting to external events, the ability to prevent
internal impulses, or the ability to simply cancel an already
planned action. The ability to suppress irrelevant information and
action becomes more efficient with age. Cognitive inhibitory
processes and their control begin very early in life and mature
steadily throughout childhood development. Scientific literature
about developmental studies has clearly demonstrated that cognitive
abilities develop throughout childhood. See, Case R, "Validation of
a neo-Piagetian capacity construct" Journal of Experimental Child
Psychology, 14, 287-302 (1972); Diamond A & Doar B, "The
performance of human infants on a measure of frontal cortex
function, the delayed response task", Developmental Psychobiology,
22, 271-294 (1989). More so, immature cognition is characterized by
susceptibility to interference in overriding an attentional or
behavioral response. See, Brainerd C J & Reyna V F, "Memory
independence and memory interference in cognitive development",
Psychological Review, 100, 42-67 (1993); Munakata Y, "Infant
perseveration and implications for object permanence theories: a
PDP model of the AB task," Developmental Science, 1, 161-184
(1998). Classically, response inhibition has been considered to
arise essentially from bottom-up reactive processes (triggered by
NoGo or Stop signals for example). Typical brain regions involved
in response inhibition are the bilateral ventral prefrontal cortex,
the right parietal lobe and the right dorsolateral prefrontal
cortex.
[0047] "Arousal" refers to a state of responsiveness to sensory
stimulation or excitability, a condition of sensory alertness,
mobility and readiness to respond. Arousal is a physiological and
psychological state of being alert, physically and mentally. It
involves the stimulation of the reticular activating system in the
brain stem, in the autonomic nervous system and in the endocrine
system. Leading signs of arousal are increased heart rate,
increased blood pressure and fast and shallow respiration.
Physiological arousal levels are mediated by the antagonistic
interaction of the sympathetic-parasympathetic nervous systems;
maturation of the parasympathetic system is accompanied by increase
in the capacity to inhibit sympathetic activity resulting in a
reduction in mobilization and baseline levels of arousal.
[0048] "Delay/deferred gratification" refers to the ability to
forgo an immediate pleasure or reward in order to gain a more
substantial one later on. To function effectively, individuals must
voluntarily postpone immediate gratification and persist in
goal-directed behavior for the sake of future outcomes. In the late
1960s and early 1970s, Mischel pioneered landmark studies with
preschoolers, shedding light on the ability to delay gratification
and to exert self-control in the face of strong situational
pressures and emotionally temptations. See, Mischel W, "Theory and
research on the antecedents of self-imposed delay of reward", In B.
A. Maher (Ed.), Progress in experimental personality research,
3:85-132, (1966). San Diego, Calif.: Academic Press; Mischel W,
Ebbesen E B & Zeiss A R "Cognitive and attentional mechanisms
in delay of gratification", Journal of Personality and Social
Psychology, 21, 204-218, (1972). These studies examined the
processes and mental mechanisms that enable a young child to forego
immediate gratification and to wait for a larger desired but
delayed reward instead. These studies suggested that long-term
prediction may be possible. When these children became adolescents,
their parents rated them as more academically and socially
competent, verbally fluent, rational, attentive, planful, and able
to deal well with frustration and stress. See, Mischel W, Shoda Y
& Peake P K "The nature of adolescent competencies predicted by
preschool delay of gratification", Journal of Personality and
Social Psychology, 54, 687-696, (1988). Delay of gratification is a
cognitive inhibitory ability depicting self-control that steadily
matures (improves) from early childhood into adolescence.
Individuals often do not internalize delay of gratification until
the teen years or later.
[0049] "Associative learning" refers to a learning process in which
discrete ideas and percepts which are experienced together become
linked to one another. It is a learning process also referred to as
`classical conditioning`.
[0050] "Reading Fluency" refers to the ability to read phrases and
sentences smoothly and quickly, while understanding them as
expressions of complete ideas. Cognitive capacity that builds up as
a result of mastering an automatic word decoding, frees attentional
resources that fluent readers can use for expressive comprehension
of the text. Reading fluency is a multidimensional ability that can
be summarized into the following three components: 1) Accuracy, or
accurate decoding of words in text; 2) Quick, automatic and
effortless recognition of words in a connected text, with minimal
use of attentional resources; and 3) Prosody, or the appropriate
use of phrasing and expression to convey meaning in the
interpretation of text. Reading fluency can be conceptualized as
establishing a direct link between the two major components of
reading--word decoding and comprehension. At one end of this link,
reading fluency connects to accuracy and automaticity in decoding.
At the other end of this link, reading fluency connects to
comprehension through prosody or expressive interpretation.
[0051] "Lexical item" refers to a single word or chain of words
that forms the basic elements of a language's lexicon
(vocabulary).
[0052] "Lexical route" As we read, our brain processes the written
word simultaneously on two mental routes to interpret meaning,
known as the lexical and the phonological. The "lexical route"
relies on (automatic) activation of word-specific orthographic and
phonological memory. The lexical route mechanism associates the
visual word as a whole entity with its meaning and pronunciation;
namely it identifies an orthographic representation (i.e. letters
and their sequences and groups) in the orthographic lexicon, and
articulates a phonological output lexicon (sounds). The lexical
route can process all familiar words, regardless of whether they
are regular or irregular in terms of their letter-sound
relationships, but it fails processing unfamiliar words or
non-words because they lack lexical representations.
[0053] "Temporal order judgment" (TOJ) refers to a psychophysical
task where participants decide which one of two (or more) unimodal
cues (e.g. audio or video) was presented first in a cross-modal
stimulus. Alternatively, unimodal (auditory, visual or tactile) TOJ
generally involves deciding in which of two spatial locations the
stimulus was presented first. A number of experimental studies have
provided evidence that the minimal required inter-stimulus-interval
(ISI) between two successive stimuli for correctly reporting their
temporal order is about 20-40 msc. See, Hirsh I J & Sherrick C
E Jr. "Perceived order in different sense modalities", Journal of
Experimental Psychology, 62, 423-432 (1961); Poppel E "A
hierarchical model of temporal perception", Trends Cogn Sci 1:
56-61 (1997). This temporal order threshold appears to be
remarkably invariant for auditory, visual, tactile and two-modality
stimuli in normal subjects. See, Hirsh I J & Sherrick C E Jr.
"Perceived order in different sense modalities". Journal of
Experimental Psychology, 62, 423-432 (1961); Swisher L, Hirsh I J
"Brain damage and the ordering of two temporally successive
stimuli", Neuropsychologia 10: 137-152 (1972). Such a perceptual
phenomenon is probably due to a central mechanism responsible for
temporal ordering, which is independent of the sensory stimulus
itself, the temporal cortex of the left hemisphere most likely
responsible for TOJ. See, Efron R "The effect of handedness on the
perception of simultaneity and temporal order", Brain, 86, 261-284
(1963); Tallal P, Merzenich M M, Miller S, Jenkins W "Language
learning impairments: integrating basic science, technology, and
remediation", Exp. Brain Res. 123: 210-219 (1998); Von Steinbuchel
N, Wittmann M, Szelag E "Temporal constraints of perceiving,
generating, and integrating information: Clinical indications",
Restor. Neurol. Neurosci. 14: 167-182 (1999a).
[0054] "Graphical reference marker" refers to a graphical marker
depicting a point, line or an area in a graphic object of the
herein invention.
[0055] This section provides definitions of terms used herein. Such
definitions are provided in this section for the convenience of the
reader, although it is noted that these terms are further described
in other sections contained herein. Variations and/or extensions of
the following definitions applicable to the present invention will
be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art(s) based at
least on the teachings contained herein. In continuation, the
definitions are discussed in the context of the present invention,
such that the theoretical overview of the invention is continued in
this section.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS/FIGURES
[0056] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and
form a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the
present invention and, together with the description, further serve
to explain the principles of the invention and to enable a person
skilled in the relevant art to make and use the invention.
[0057] FIG. 1 is a block diagram overview of a system to generate
non-verbal stimuli to promote visuo-motor movement loops and
oculomotor movements in a game like-task according to an embodiment
of the present invention.
[0058] FIG. 2 is an exemplary block diagram of planar 1st and 2nd
moving objects, in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0059] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of Parameters Configuration Module
Table, in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0060] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of Module Challenge Parameter, in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0061] FIG. 5 is a block diagram of Module Raw Scores Calculation,
in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0062] FIG. 6 is a block diagram of Module ARC and session
progression, in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0063] FIG. 7 is a schematic description of Eye tracking task line
trajectories, in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0064] FIG. 8 is a block diagram of Module Activity Level, in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0065] FIG. 9 is a block diagram of Individual Score Performance
Calculation Module, in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0066] FIG. 10 is a Functional Steps Flow Chart of a Session, in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0067] FIG. 11 depicts an example computer system in which
embodiments of the present invention may be implemented.
[0068] The present invention will now be described with reference
to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, generally, like
reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar
elements. Additionally, generally, the left-most digit(s) of a
reference number identifies the drawing in which the reference
number first appears.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
I. Introduction
[0069] The following detailed description of the present invention
refers to the accompanying drawings that illustrate exemplary
embodiments consistent with this invention. Other embodiments are
possible, and modifications can be made to the embodiments within
the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the detailed
description is not meant to limit the invention. Rather, the scope
of the invention is defined by the appended claims.
[0070] It would be apparent to one of skill in the art that the
present invention, as described below, can be implemented in many
different embodiments of software, hardware, firmware, and/or the
entities illustrated in the figures. Any actual software code with
the specialized control of hardware to implement the present
invention is not limiting of the present invention. Thus, the
operational behavior of the present invention will be described
with the understanding that modifications and variations of the
embodiments are possible, and within the scope and spirit of the
present invention.
[0071] Reference to modules in this specification and the claims
means any combination of hardware or software components for
performing the indicated function. A module need not be a rigidly
defined entity, such that several modules may overlap hardware and
software components in functionality. For example, a software
module may refer to a single line of code within a procedure, the
procedure itself being a separate software module. One skilled in
the relevant arts will understand that the functionality of modules
may be defined in accordance with a number of stylistic or
performance-optimizing techniques, for example.
[0072] The present invention relates to system, method and computer
program product embodiments to promote effortless automatic
recognition of sight words via generation of novel non-verbal
stimuli that manipulate dyslexics' and poor readers' visual spatial
attention. By use of novel non-verbal stimuli, the herein invention
enhances visual discrimination and accelerates processing of sight
words, eliciting visual spatial attentional shifts, while also
increasing inhibitory control upon oculomotor and visuo-motor
activities and upon selective cognitive executive functions
mediated by the prefrontal cortex. This is achieved by effectively
orienting, shifting and focusing a subject's attentional resources
during his/her sensorial reaction to novel non-verbal visual
stimuli while performing a monotonous game-like task. The present
invention has applications to a wide range of non-verbal
pre-orthographic visual processes; the aim of such applications is
to promote effortless automatic recognition of sight words. The
present invention stimulates lexical processes, not only
contributing to reading fluency of dyslexics, reluctant and slow
readers, but also of beginning readers. The present invention
promotes effortless automatic sight words recognition via
generation of novel non-verbal stimuli addressing a subject's
deficits which stem from flawed visual spatial attentional
processes and from lack of optimal inhibitory control of oculomotor
and visuo-motor loop movements and related selective executive
functions mediated by the Pre-Frontal Cortex (PFC). The present
invention teaches an innovative game-like task that generates a
novel non-verbal stimuli which engages a shared neural network on
both brain hemispheres to effectively ameliorate skills necessary
for an effortless and automatic proficiency of the written
word.
[0073] There is solid research that demonstrates strong likelihood
that an impaired attentional system causes reading problems.
Therefore, the findings of attentional problems in dyslexics could
provide a plausible link between their magnocellular deficits and
their reading problems. Omtzigt et al. directly addresses the
causation link between magnocellular deficits and reading problems.
In his experiment, subjects had to name a letter flanked by two
other letters. When the letters were written with a
magno-disadvantageous color contrast, naming accuracy was
significantly lower than when the letters were written in
parvo-disadvantageous weak luminance contrast. Omtzigt claimed that
this finding supports the contribution of the magnocellular system
to the allocation of attention and thus focuses on the importance
of attention in reading difficulties. See, Omtzigt D, Hendriks A W,
Kolk H H, "Evidence for magnocellular involvement in the
identification of flanked letters," Neuropsychologia 40: 1881-1890
(2002).
[0074] The end goal in learning to read is to attain comprehension
of the text. The first step we take to reach this goal is to master
reading fluency. Felton defined fluency as "the ability to read
connected text rapidly, smoothly, effortlessly, and automatically
with little conscious attention to the mechanics of reading, such
as decoding". See, Meyer M S & Felton R H, "Repeated reading to
enhance fluency: Old approaches and new directions," Annals of
Dyslexia, 49, 283-306 (1999). A first benchmark for fluency is
being able to "sight read" some words. Meaning, reading fluency
focuses on quick and automatic visual recognition of words in a
connected text. The idea is that children will spot the most common
words in their native language and that the automatic recognition
of these common important words will allow them to read and
understand text faster.
[0075] Ehri chooses automatic effortless words' sight recognition
as the fundamental skill necessary to master proficiency in reading
"the ability to read words by sight automatically is the key to
skilled reading". See, Ehri, L C "Grapheme-phoneme knowledge is
essential for learning to read words in English" In J. L. Metsala
& E. C. Ehri (Eds.), "Word recognition in beginning literacy"
pp. 3-40 (1998). Mahwah, N.J.: Erlbaum. The theory of reading
automaticity suggests that proficient recognition and decoding of
words occurs when readers move beyond conscious and accurate
decoding to automatic and accurate decoding. See, LaBerge D, &
Samuels S A, "Toward a theory of automatic information processing
in reading," Cognitive Psychology, 6, 293-323 (1974).; Samuels, S.
J. "Reading fluency: Its development and assessment," In A. E.
Farstrup & S. J. Samuels (Eds.), What research has to say about
reading instruction (3rd ed., pp. 166-183 (2002)); Stanovich, K.
E., "Word recognition: Changing perspectives," In R. Barr, M. L.
Kamil, P. Mosenthal, & P. D. Pearson (Eds.), Handbook of
reading research, Vol. 2, pp. 418-452 (1991) New York: Longman. At
the automatic fluent reading mode, readers do not have to examine
closely or sound out most of the words they encounter; they simply
recognize the words instantly and accurately on sight. Children are
successful with decoding when the process used to identify words is
fast and nearly effortless or automatic.
[0076] As noted, the concept of automaticity refers to a student's
ability to recognize words rapidly with little attention required
to the word's appearance. More so, readers have limited attention
resources. If they have to continually consciously focus and
allocate a large portion of their attentional resources to sight
words' identification via the fast lexical route, those attentional
resources will not be available to put to use for comprehension of
the text. See, Coltheart M, Curtis B, Aktins P, Haller M, "Models
of reading aloud dual-route and parallel-distributed processing
approaches," Psychol Rev 100:589-608 (1993). In short, reading
fluency bridges word sight recognition and decoding abilities with
semantic comprehension of the text. At one end of this bridge,
fluency connects to sight recognition automaticity and accuracy in
decoding. At the other end, reading fluency connects to
comprehension through prosody, or expressive interpretation. In
short, when individuals cannot automatically and effortlessly
recognize invariant properties of connected print text (e.g. shape,
size, and color), their mastery of reading fluency is delayed or
never accomplished.
[0077] Fluent reading also depends on how proficiently we handle
visual spatial attention. Attention is a brain mechanism that
enhances information processing at the attended location. Thus,
attention operates as a filter removing irrelevant information from
sensory-input streams. Rapid sight recognition of a letter within a
string of connected letters, or a word within a text, seems to
require a precise control of the spatial extent of the attentional
focus to exclude irrelevant information. See, LaBerge D, Brown V,
"Theory of attentional operations in shape identification," Psychol
Rev 96:101-124 (1989). Brannan and Williams were the first to
demonstrate that poor readers had problems with shifting attention
from one target to another. See, Brannan J, Williams M, "Allocation
of visual attention in good and poor readers," Percept Psychophys
41:23-28 (1987). Facoetti et al. showed several anomalies in
dyslexic children at attentional control. They concluded that: a)
dyslexics seem to have more diffused spatial attention; and b)
dyslexics showed sluggishness of their automatic focusing of visual
attention. See, Facoetti A, Molteni M, "The gradient of visual
attention in developmental dyslexia," Neuropsychologia 39:352-357
(2001); Facoetti A, Turatto M, "Asymmetrical visual fields
distribution of attention in dyslexic children: a
neuropsychological study," Neurosci Lett 290:216-218 (2000);
Facoetti A, "Facilitation and inhibition mechanisms of human
visuospatial attention in a non-search task," Neurosci Lett
298:45-48 (2001); Facoetti A, Paganoni P, Lorusso M L, "The spatial
distribution of visual attention in developmental dyslexia," Exp
Brain Res 132:531-538 (2000a); Facoetti A, Paganoni P, Turatto M,
Marzola V, Mascetti G G, "Visuospatial attention in developmental
dyslexia," Cortex 36:109-123 (2000b); Facoetti A, Lorusso M L,
Paganoni P, Cattaneo C, Galli R, MascettiGG, "The time course of
attentional focusing in dyslexic and normally reading children,"
Brain Cogni 53: 181-184 (2003a); Facoetti A, Lorusso M L, Paganoni
P, Cattaneo C, Galli R, Umilta C, Mascetti G G, "Auditory and
visual automatic attention deficits in developmental dyslexia,"
Cogn Brain Res 16: 185-191 (2003b); Facoetti A, Lorusso M L,
Paganoni P, Umilta C, Mascetti G G, "The role of visuospatial
attention in developmental dyslexia: Evidence from a rehabilitation
study," Cogn Brain Res 15: 154-164 (2003c); Facoetti A, Lorusso M
L, Cattaneo C, Galli R, Molteni M, "Multi-modal attentional capture
is sluggish in children with developmental dyslexia," Acta
Neurobiol Exp (Wars) 65: 61-72 (2005).
[0078] Vidyasagar and Pammer showed that the search time-size
function increased more steeply for dyslexics than for normal in a
serial search task. See, Vidyasagar T R, Pammer K, "Impaired visual
search in dyslexia relates to the role of the magnocellular pathway
in attention," Neuroreport 10: 1283 (1999).
[0079] These facts about visual attention and eye movement have
been known for some time, but only recently have researchers begun
to look at eye movement behavior and its implication to attentional
demands and inhibitory neural control mechanisms as a reflection of
cognitive processing during reading. See, Rayner K, "Eye movements,
perceptual span, and reading disability," Annals of Dyslexia 33,
163-173, (1983). Research shows that saccade control and reading
abilities depend on similar brain functions and show a parallel
development. In other words, there is a correlation between the
development of saccade control and reading abilities. Reading
presupposes an accurate planning and control of ocular saccades and
fixations. See, Morris R K, Rayner K, "Eye movements in skilled
reading: implications for developmental dyslexia," In: Stein J F
(ed) Vision and visual dyslexia. MacMillan Press, London, pp
233-242 (1991); Pavlidis G "Do eye movements hold the key to
dyslexia?" Neuropsychologia 19:57-64 (1981).
[0080] Another goal of the present invention is to trigger mild-low
physiological arousal in a subject. Research has found that
different tasks require different levels of arousal for optimal
performance. For example, difficult or intellectually demanding
tasks may require a lower level of arousal (to facilitate
concentration), but for unfamiliar, complex or difficult tasks, the
relationship between arousal and performance becomes inverse, with
a performance decline as arousal increases. Easterbrook states that
an increase of arousal leads to a decrease in the number of
spatial-temporal cues that can be utilized. See, Easterbrooke J A
"The effect of emotion on cue utilization and the organization of
behavior," Psychological Review, 66, 187-201, (1959). Indeed, it is
well known that arousal (or stress) has negative effects on
learning to read and on cognitive processes like attention (e.g.,
"tunnel vision"), memory and problem-solving.
[0081] In general, certain embodiments of the present invention
teach the training of neural networks involved in promoting
effortless automatic sight word recognition via the performance of
a novel monotonous game-like task that stimulates optimal
inhibitory control upon oculomotor, visuo-motor activity and
selective cognitive executive functions that are mediated by the
Pre-Frontal Cortex (PFC). Specifically, certain embodiments of the
present invention teach how to technologically implement the
conditions required to promote the inhibition of the involuntary
control of ballistic eye movements that continually monitor the
positioning and motor fluidity of hand & fingers' movements
through the performance of the herein novel game-like task.
[0082] More so, certain embodiments of the present invention
comprise of a novel game-like task aimed to bring about
neuro-plastic changes that effect oculomotor, visuo-motor movement
loops and cognitive control upon selective executive functions
mediated by the PFC. We expect that the herein game-like task will
bring about oculomotor and visuo-motor movement loops automaticity,
free of attentional demands. The latter said is achieved by
implementing a number of novel features, including a
spatial-temporal kinematical activity, some perceptual constrains
concerning both the structure of the non-verbal visual stimuli
information and concerning internal performance-reward feedback
strategies implemented via the herein game-like task in a number of
performance challenging stages where the game-like task increases
in difficulty.
[0083] Certain embodiments of the present invention teach a novel
game-like task that generates a set of non-verbal visual stimuli
parameters aimed to trigger fast neuro-plastic changes which
promote neural inhibitory control resulting in self-regulation of
oculomotor and visuo-motor loop movements' activity and selective
cognitive executive function behaviors mediated by the PFC.
[0084] This novel non-verbal visual stimuli: 1) triggers mild to
low physiological arousal (mild to low heightening of physiological
activity); 2) promotes performance of attentional shifts as an aim
in itself while downplaying attentional focus on target
spatial-temporal parameters and object-like attributes (e.g.
spotting, location, trajectory, kinematical state and attributes
[such as planar (2D), color, shape, size, etc.]; 3) promotes
inhibitory control upon shared neural network involving oculomotor,
visuo-motor loop movements and selective cognitive behavior via
triggering self-regulatory negative feedback loops.
[0085] All three characteristics of the above-said novel non-verbal
stimuli of the herein game-like task accomplish attainment of
effortless and automatic visual recognition of sight words. The
present invention discloses a novel game-like task that enables a
subject to effectively and rapidly promote the necessary
physiological repertoire of sensory-motor-perceptual and selective
cognitive controlled behaviors (e.g. attention shifts,
gratification delay or relinquishment, mild to low heightening of
physiological activity, etc.) in order to effortlessly and
automatically recognize sight words that will grant a subject
reading fluidity proficiency of connected text.
[0086] Another goal is to trigger mild to low physiological arousal
in a subject. Certain embodiments of the present invention teach a
novel game-like task that discloses selective sensory-motor
kinematical goals such as: 1) Navigating a graphical planar mobile
object, a "yellow car" for example, maintaining it as long as
possible and as close as possible to the dividing line in the
center of a road in which it travels; 2) In contradistinction to
current computer/video games, there are no additional kinematical
goals/demands involved in the navigation of the graphical planar
mobile object/car (e.g. avoiding "obstacles", or disappearance and
reappearance of the graphical planar mobile object/car from the
visual display for a .DELTA.t); and 3) The herein disclosed
graphical planar mobile object does not fulfill any additional
kinematical functional requirements such shooting, jumping, flying,
etc.
[0087] In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention,
planar objects (such as the aforementioned "yellow car") are
utilized. Planar objects are visualizations of graphical objects
that lack perceivable depth (volume). Planar objects may be
rendered by any graphical rendering process (e.g., 2D or 3D
rendering) as long as they appear to be without any volume when
displayed. However, one skilled in the relevant arts will
appreciate that planar objects are discussed herein by way of
example, and not limitation.
[0088] Still, another goal is to trigger mild-low physiological
arousal in a subject. Certain embodiments of the present invention
teach a novel game-like task that discloses visuo-motor activity
consisting in: a) fast repetitive linear movements (i.e. along the
horizontal "x" axis of the display, in left to right and right to
left directions); and b) Repetitive eye-hand/fingers visuo-motor
loops exercised in the same direction that our eyes and our
hand/fingers move when reading or writing.
[0089] Still yet another goal is to trigger mild to low
physiological arousal in a subject. Embodiments of the present
invention teach a novel game-like task that discloses a number of
selective perceptual-cognitive attributes: 1) In order to primarily
allocate a subject's focus attention on rapid and effortless
recognition of graphic planar objects, the herein game-like task is
not displayed in "full screen"; rather, it is only displayed at the
center portion of the screen (has surrounding limiting margins).
Effortless allocation of focus attention in the center of the
screen display is facilitated by an implicit perceptual expectation
towards orienting our eyes to land at a point of spatial symmetry
at a central location in the visual display; 2) the game-like task
is displayed in a planar non-curvilinear surface. The solid angle
and perceptual views of the game-like task are always the same;
there are no close-ups or distant views compelling to change the
angle of views, thus denying the user to perceptually experience a
3D space; 3) a non-visual stimulus of a graphic planar object
depicting the shape of "road" borders moves from top to bottom
(along the vertical "y" axis top-down direction) creating in the
user a visual perceptual illusion of a graphic planar mobile object
(e.g. a car) moving in a south to north direction; 4) the visual
illusion of a vertically moving graphic planar mobile object in 3)
takes place at a constant velocity; 5) the shape and size of the
graphical planar objects in the game-like task remain constant
during predefined time intervals; 6) in order to minimize
distractions and effectively allocate focus attention to the task
at hand, no new graphic objects appear suddenly into view on the
road (e.g. cars, obstacles, etc.).
[0090] Certain embodiments of the present invention teach the
training of the neural network involved in promoting effortless
automatic sight word recognition via the performance of a novel
game-like task that brings about an optimal inhibitory control upon
oculomotor, visuo-motor loop movements and selective cognitive
executive functions' mediated behaviors by the PFC. Specifically,
certain embodiments of the present invention teach how a subject
actuating the herein game-like task, gradually attains inhibitory
control upon oculomotor, visuo-motor and selective cognitive
executive functions' mediated behaviors by the PFC by adding
increasing interactive "challenge display parameters", for i.e. the
graphical implementation of weather conditions as rain or fog.
These "challenging parameters" increase the execution difficulty of
the visuo-motor eye-hand/fingers movement loops task by aiming to
impede the user's visuo-motor navigation control of a graphic
mobile object (e.g. yellow car) at the center of a road. These
perceptual visual challenges are necessary in order to effectively
guide a subject's performance to fall within an optimal
motor-perceptual-cognitive range where inhibitory control can
easily be promoted among oculomotor, visuo-motor loop movements and
selective cognitive behaviors mediated by the PFC. The perceptual
construction of such visual challenging conditions is achieved in
such a way that the recognition of their spatial-temporal
attributes will deny the priming of associative learning.
Increasing the challenging parameters degree of difficulty includes
at least one of: Rain--A 2D graphical representation of rain drops
is superimposed on the spatial coordinates of the central region of
the perceptual space. The rain drops decrease the visibility and
manual navigability of the graphic planar mobile object on the
road. The degree (size, shape, falling rate and color of rain
drops) of visual obstruction is pre-defined. More so, the rain
drops' size, shape, falling rate and color can be either constant
or random; Fog--A 2D graphical representation of fog conditions
superimposed on the spatial coordinates of the central region of
the perceptual space. The degree of visual obstruction (fog
concentration and photic luminosity) is pre-defined. More so, the
fog concentration and photic luminosity can be either constant or
random; Road shape appearance--increasing the number of sinusoidal
road waves intensifies the wave-like appearance of the road
increasing the navigability difficulty; graphic planar object
velocity--gradual increase of the apparent graphic planar object
velocity in stages. However, the velocity remains constant within
each stage.
[0091] Still another goal of certain embodiments of the present
invention is to teach a novel game-like task to promote visual
spatial attentional shifts apportioning oculomotor and visuo-motor
loop movement's performance selectively to either right or left
brain hemisphere neural circuitry dominance. Specifically, if a
subject's performance of the herein game-like task shows a higher
internal score when: (a) the navigation took place in the area to
the right of the road's center' dividing line in comparison to when
(b) the navigation took place on the left side of the road, it then
means that it is much easier for a subject to visually orient
(attend novel events in the visual field), focus and process
pattern recognition of non-verbal stimuli and exert control on
visuo-motor loop movements via his left hemisphere (LH) neural
circuitry. Neural networks distributed in the LH are responsible
for processing stimuli information related to language (semantic
information) and for storing it in memory. In the reverse situation
in which a subject achieves a higher internal score when (b) versus
(a), we can state that it is much easier for a subject to visually
orient (attend novel events in the visual field), focus and process
pattern recognition of non-verbal stimuli and exert control on
visuo-motor loop movements, via his right hemisphere (RH) neural
circuitry. Neural networks distributed in the RH are responsible
for processing stimuli information related to spatial relationships
of objects and to temporal aspects of novelty of events.
[0092] Oculomotor orienting, flexibility in shifting visual
attention per se and subsequently sustaining attentional focus at
the chosen spatial location to identify and process foveal and
parafoveal targets (non-verbal and verbal stimuli) is an issue of
high relevance for reaching mastery and competency of literacy in
some languages. This is because in order to start reading a
connected text, the visual stimuli is expected to be located at the
far left margin of the page (to be preferentially processed by
neural networks in the right hemisphere of the brain). On the other
hand, as we continue reading and our eyes keep on sweeping the text
towards the right direction, once they reach the middle half of the
sentence and onwards, the text is preferentially processed by
neural networks in the left hemisphere of the brain. As we approach
the end of the sentence, our eyes perform a regressive ballistic
movement and now land on connected text in the very beginning of
the next sentence, again on the far left margin of the page.
[0093] Still yet another goal of certain embodiments of the present
invention is to implement an internal "right predominant score"
method, principally on the right visual field of a subject. The
"right predominant score" covertly promotes an inhibitory behavior
upon oculomotor, visuo-motor loop movements and selective executive
cognitive behaviors mediated by the PFC. Orienting and sustaining
focus attention on the RVF and actuating on the right side of the
road, strongly correlates the game-like task performance to LH
neural circuitry dominance. More so, we expect the novel game-like
task herein taught to mainly trigger in a subject engaged in it,
fast neural-plastic changes (neural activation) in the magno
transient neural networks projecting dorsally from the visual
occipital cortex to more specialized visual areas in the PPC. This
resulting magno flow should bring about a fine tuning of
visuo-motor control behavior which will improve eye-hand
coordination movement loops' performance and consequently become
one of the contributing factors promoting effortless and automatic
visual recognition of sight words as well as reading fluency. Yet,
the more a subject navigates the graphic planar mobile object in
the right visual field on the right side of the road, the more the
game-like task promotes oculomotor, visuo-motor and related
selective PFC executive function cognitive inhibitory control among
neural networks under the LH dominance. Hence, another key feature
of the present invention is to facilitate visual orienting and
focus attention sustenance on a subject's right visual field. The
latter is achieved by, for example, shifting the dashed dividing
line (supposedly representing the center of the road) slightly
towards the left side of the road, increasing in such a way the
width of the road portion located to the right of the dashed line,
and further inducing a subject to navigate the graphic planar
mobile object on the right visual field of the right side of the
road.
[0094] Yet, another goal of certain embodiments of the present
invention is to teach attainment of automatism upon oculomotor and
visuo-motor movement loops behavior by a subject voluntarily
performing a mild to intensive visuo-motor navigation activity in a
novel game-like task, in a first stage. During such first stage, a
subject actuates numerous fast repetitive eye-hand/fingers'
movements in a relative short period of time. Such numerous
repetitive right-left and left-right quick eye-hand/fingers'
movements (for specific periods of time lasting approximately 63
sec), are performed while aiming to navigate a graphic planar
mobile object (e.g. yellow car) and maintain it as close as
possible to the dashed dividing line in the center of the road.
This massive number of quick repetitive visuo-motor movement loops
is processed and organized by the cerebellum, which receives in a
brief time span, an overwhelming amount of (sensory-motor) practice
effect information as well as motor learning training via
sequential motor movements. Post finalizing a first voluntary
navigation stage, a subject immediately begins a second stage where
he/she voluntarily actuates low intensity navigation visuo-motor
movement loops, in order to gradually decrease the visuo-motor
activity, by smoothly and slowly navigating a graphical planar
mobile object (e.g. a car) (this novel kind of navigation elicits
ocular smooth tracking pursue of the graphical object) and
accurately maintaining it on a central dividing line in a road.
This second navigation stage, which consists of decreased
visuo-motor movement loops activity, lasts for 21 seconds.
Following this second visuo-motor voluntary navigation stage, a
subject passively gazes at the center of the screen display. In
this third stage, there is no interactive navigation visuo-motor
activity, only passive oculomotor tracking movements. A subject's
eyes passively track generated planar non-verbal stimuli that move
across the screen on the center of the screen display. The smooth
tracking of novel generated non-verbal stimuli generates in a
subject a further inhibitory effect upon oculomotor and selective
PFC executive function cognitive controlled neural networks,
triggering parasympathetic activity, namely inducing a further
calming effect that contributes to dropping arousal to mild to low
levels. The third stage, consisting of oculomotor activity alone,
lasts variably between 14 sec to 63 sec, in accordance with an
embodiment of the invention. In the herein game-like task, stages
1, 2 and 3 are recurrent in a loop with no time delay gaps amongst
them, for a minimum of 4 times and a maximum of 6 times, in
accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
[0095] The implemented sequential motor learning training due to
the novel performance of certain embodiments of the present
invention minimizes the need to allocate attentional resources to
the task at hand, thus capable of promoting neuroplasticity changes
on neural networks in the cerebellum to accelerate the
implementation a robust sensory-motor automatism in a subject.
[0096] Still, with the aim of triggering mild to low physiological
arousal in a subject, certain embodiments of the present invention
teach a novel game-like task that discloses the absence of a
real-time feedback-reward display of a `score` (represented as a
number and/or text and/or symbol). The absence of a real-time score
information is one of the key features of the present invention,
purposely implemented in order to minimize at least one of: a)
generation of mental stress (owing to a subject taxation of
attentional resources due to sustained focus attention while
performing numerous fast repetitive accurate as faceable possible
eye-hand/fingers movement loops in a relatively short period of
time); b) generation of physiological arousal by not providing
explicit real-time information about actual performance status and;
c) perceptual and cognitive eradication of a subject's desire to
compete with himself/herself. More so, a subject performing the
game-like task is not aware that the task at hand is covertly
implementing a novel delay gratification reward strategy that
tacitly correlates the real-time gradual attainment of a high
"score" via interacting with perceptual-motor states of increasing
difficulty (navigation challenges). The present novel game-like
task aims to habituate a subject to forgo conscious real-time
reward. Hence, as a direct consequence of a subject actuating the
herein novel game-like task, we foresee that a subject will learn
willingly to delay gratification for longer periods of time.
[0097] Certain embodiments of the present invention teach the
promotion of effortless and automatic sight word recognition via
the performance of a mild to low arousal novel game-like task. The
present invention also teaches the performance of a game-like task
that delays task gratification. The present invention generates
novel non-verbal stimuli, which promotes attentional shifts,
oculomotor and visuo-motor fast and repetitive movements' loops.
The experience of performing the game-like task instigates strong
neuroplasticity in a subject's brain, thus training a subject's
oculomotor and visuo-motor movement's loops to allow for a rapid
implicit acquisition of automatic skills necessary for the
effortless mastery of sight word recognition. The herein invention
accomplishes the latter by generating a visual flow of novel
sensorial-motor-perceptual information aimed to promote automatic
control of spatial visual attention and dorsal transient neural
circuits responsible for eye movements, while also promoting
inhibitory behavior of neural circuitry involving visuo-motor loops
activity of the hand-fingers executing the task, particularly in a
subject's left hemisphere's circuitry.
[0098] The present invention teaches the performance of a mild to
low arousal innovative game-like task that, in complete contrast to
entertaining/violent/educational computer/video games which include
a great deal of 3D graphical objects moving in multiple kinematical
trajectories on the computer screen and powerful graphical effects
(with the purpose of making them more engaging and exiting), is
described as "monotonous" since it does not trigger or induce: 1.
Increase of aggressive thoughts, which in turn increase the
likelihood that a mild or ambiguous provocation will be interpreted
in a hostile fashion; 2. Increase of aggressive physical affect; 3.
Increase of general physiological arousal (e.g. a sustaining long
term increase in heart rate, blood pressure, respiration etc.)
which tends to further promote the dominant emotional behavioral
tendency; 4. Direct imitation of recently observed aggressive
behaviors. See, Anderson C A & Bushman B J "Effects of violent
video games on aggressive behavior, aggressive cognition,
aggressive affect, physiological arousal, and prosocial behavior: A
meta-analytic review of the scientific literature," Psychological
Science, 12, 353-359, (2001).
[0099] In summary, the absence of explicit real-time feedback about
actual performance elicits in a subject a perceptual-cognitive
labeling about the nature of the novel game-like task as being
monotonous, boring and, to some degree, gives a subject the overall
subjective feeling about the global experience as not having been
fun.
II. Design Goals
[0100] In view of the forgoing, it is desirable to provide a system
that will promote effortless automatic sight word recognition of
connected written text via delivery of novel non-verbal
stimuli.
[0101] It is further desirable to provide a system that will
promote effortless automatic sight word recognition via delivery of
novel non-verbal stimuli triggering visual spatial attention shifts
in order to enhance fast recognition and processing of verbal and
non-verbal target stimuli in either the left or the right visual
hemifield of a subject.
[0102] It is also desirable to provide a system that will promote
effortless automatic sight word recognition via delivery of novel
non-verbal stimuli promoting automatic inhibitory control of dorsal
magnocellular transient neural networks, enabling accurate temporal
planning of oculomotor movements, namely enabling smooth
transitions between stable gaze and eye saccades.
[0103] It is additionally desirable to provide a system that will
promote effortless automatic sight word recognition via delivery of
novel non-verbal stimuli by executing a monotonous game-like task
that consists in fast repetitive visuo-motor loops that strongly
captivate the attentional focus of a subject in a manner that
rapidly discriminates and processes salient features of a moving
target(s), mainly in the fovea and parafoveal visual field. This
motion-for-action novel visuo-motor loop activity task greatly
diminishes reorienting towards competitive distracting sensorial
stimuli in the peripheral visual field, particularly for in the
RVF.
[0104] It is further desirable to provide a system that will
promote effortless automatic sight word recognition of connected
text via delivery of novel non-verbal stimuli targeting lexical
processes underlying and contributing to reading fluency.
[0105] It is further desirable to provide a system that will
promote effortless automatic sight words' recognition via delivery
of novel non-verbal stimuli for the execution of tasks and/or
game-like tasks where allocation of attentional resources will
enable to focus in order to discriminate, process, retrieve and
guide visuo-motor movement loops, while eliciting mild to low
arousal in a subject.
[0106] It is further desirable to provide a system that will
promote effortless automatic sight word recognition via delivery of
novel non-verbal stimuli for the execution of tasks and/or
game-like tasks that will delay immediate self-gratification (e.g.
score) related to the game-task performance of a subject.
[0107] It is further desirable to develop new, assistive,
educational and leisure devices (e.g. computer non-language/verbal
educational software and computer games) which can assist
preschoolers and beginner readers at home and in schools to make
their first steps towards mastering the alphabetical code. Remedial
teachers can introduce the present invention as a quick and easy
assistive technology alongside their one-on-one phonological
remedial teaching strategies, so it will help cognitive processes
to mature and enable the meaning of words learning via phonological
decoding strategies.
III. Exemplary Display Usage
[0108] In a preferred embodiment, the invention involves the
display of a central area of a computer screen monitor, to perform
a game-like task consisting of eyes-hand coordinated movement
loops, for about 1 minute, followed by an eye-tracking task that
takes place in the same setting. In an embodiment, a session
consists in several consecutive repetitions of this pair of
tasks.
[0109] Optionally, the required functionality is divided between a
client and a server configuration, as schematically depicted in
FIG. 1, although one skilled in the relevant arts will appreciate
that other configurations can be utilized.
[0110] As shown in this FIG. 1, a client computer 200 comprises a
screen monitor 100 where a Central Window (CW) Task Area 110 is
displayed for the user to perform an Eye-Hand Coordination Task
(EHCT) and/or an Eye-Tracking task (ETT). The relative size of this
CW 110 is defined in the parameter configuration Module 330. In an
embodiment, the CW 110 size could vary according to any selected
random or predetermined function.
[0111] The game-like task consists of continually steering, along a
preselected trajectory, the position of a reference sign, depicting
a point or small area on visually planar mobile graphic object #1,
to the point of intersection of this trajectory with a moving
graphical reference marker, depicting a point or line on a visually
graphic planar object #2, as shown in FIG. 2. The control of
movement of graphic planar mobile object #1 is achieved by means of
the computer mouse 500.
[0112] In an embodiment, the visually graphical planar mobile
object #1 is a car with a yellow default color, and the visually
graphical planar object #2 is a sinusoidal road moving downward in
the CW 110, while graphical planar mobile object #1 is restricted
to follow a trajectory along a horizontal line of movement,
intersecting a central line of the moving road.
[0113] In an embodiment, a selected type of graphic planar mobile
object #1 (from Library #6) conveys to the user a first non-verbal
stimuli, while the type of graphic planar object #2 (selected from
Library #5) conveys a second non-verbal stimuli to the user. The
angular orientation of graphic mobile object #1 trajectory of
movement, the central or not central line location of a graphic
reference marker in graphic planar object #2 (selected from Library
#12), the default color of graphic planar mobile object #1, are all
defined in configuration Module 330, shown in FIG. 3, as a
non-limiting example of an embodiment of the invention. The
background color of graphic planar object #2, herein defined as the
graphical space contained between the road pathway borderlines, and
the color of the field herein defined as the graphical space
outside the road borderlines, are also defined in the configuration
Module 330. The non-verbal stimuli of graphic planar mobile objects
#1 (from Library #6) may be a bird or a yacht as examples of mobile
objects to be controlled by the computer mouse 500. Similarly,
downward movement of graphic planar object #2 (from Library #5) may
include a river or a canyon as examples of non-verbal stimuli.
[0114] In the above example, while the user has the optical
impression of seeing the car moving vertically upward, he/she has
to perform an eye-hand movement coordination loops in a task aimed
to concur navigating the reference sign in a first graphic planar
mobile object, (i.e. a car), towards the intersection point of its
trajectory of movement, with the graphical reference marker of the
second graphic planar object, the road (FIG. 2).
[0115] The faster the car seems to move upward, and the greater the
amplitude of the borderline sinusoidal border of the road, the
greater the difficulty to navigate the car at a minimal .DELTA.d
distance between the car reference sign and the intersection of its
trajectory of movement with the graphical reference marker of the
road. Due to the pre-programmed movement of object #2, this
intersection point will continually keep changing its position
along the trajectory line of the car.
IV. Parameter Configuration
[0116] The velocity of the road and the amplitude of its wavy shape
are only 2 of the presented possible parameters by which this
invention can be implemented in order to control changes in the
challenge presented to the user's ability to maintain the .DELTA.d
value as close to zero as feasibly possible. In an embodiment, and
as a non-limitative example, a number of Challenging Parameters
(CP) are shown in Module 240 of FIG. 4, with a detail of a set of
values used for an embodiment of this invention, for each one of 7
CPs.
[0117] The Module road length unit is herein defined as the pathway
generated by one wavy shape of the borderlines of the road. This
unit or module road length is herein called Path Way Module (PWM)
and can take on different geometrical forms as exemplified in
Library #5. In the preferred embodiment, a sinusoidal wave form for
the PWM is used as a default, where other wave forms of the PWM
could offer a different navigation challenge. The velocity
challenge, in the example shown in Module 240, is given as the
number of seconds required by 1 PWM to vertically move in the CW
110, a distance equal to its length unit.
[0118] In the preferred embodiment, the graphical reference marker
inside the road is made up by points equidistant to the road's
borders. Nevertheless, other possibilities are shown in Library
#12, as indicated in configuration Module 330 in FIG. 3.
[0119] A preferred embodiment consists of 7 challenge parameters
configurations of Module 240 (CP.sub.n levels) each one implemented
by different sets of 9 variable parameters. Each of the 7 challenge
variables configurations consists in a particular set of variable
parameter values depicting increasing levels of difficulty for the
user to navigate a car at the lowest .DELTA.d value feasible
possible. The challenging parameter consists in the 7 sets of
variables herein designated as CP.sub.n (n=0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
6).
[0120] The 2 variables parameters in Module 240 depicting density
of the rain and/or fog can be regulated by software means to
produce different challenge levels by known means in computer
graphics.
V. Adaptability to User Performance
[0121] The game-like task of this invention starts at a relative
low level of difficulty and can be predefined for different user
populations, depending, for example, on age, learning disability,
particular time of the day in the circadian cycle when the
game-like task is performed, as well as conditions associated with
developmental maturational factors. In the preferred embodiment,
the first starting level of difficulty is designated as CP.sub.0,
characterized by a particular and predefined set of variable
parameters specified on Module 240 in FIG. 4. The other 6 sets of
challenging parameters for increased levels of difficulty CP.sub.1,
CP.sub.2, CP.sub.3, CP.sub.4, CP.sub.5, CP.sub.6 are also specified
in Module 240, as shown in FIG. 4, as a not-limitative example of
challenging parameter configurations.
[0122] The eyes-hand motor coordination movement task is executed
during discrete time intervals denominated Active Resting Cycles
(ARC) which last 84 seconds in the preferred embodiment, as shown
in Module 330 of FIG. 3. In an embodiment the end-goal task
challenge consisting in keeping the car's position in the road
central line shown in FIG. 2 to endure for the first and active 63
seconds of this period. In the last 21 seconds of the ARC, the
values of the CP parameters are greatly reduced, making these last
21 seconds equivalent to a quasi-resting sub-period. In an
embodiment, this CP parameters' reduction consists in the decrease
of CP values to a 25% of the CP.sub.0 values with no additional
challenging parameters presented to the user. One skilled in the
relevant arts will appreciate that the values provided herein for
parameters such as ARC and CP values are given by way of example,
and not limitation, and can be adjusted accordingly to the
situation.
[0123] During the entire active 63 seconds period, and at each 100
msc interval, the Ad distance is measured. Based on the 630
measurements of this active ARC period, the Module 210 of FIG. 5
executes a calculation of the Game Raw Score in the sub-Module 211,
using the following algorithm:
Game Raw Score ( GS ) = 1 mean .DELTA. d 2 .times. 63000 - te 63000
.times. 1 SCF ( 1 ) ##EQU00001##
[0124] Where te is a parameter depicting the total time the car
center is outside the road borderlines, measured in milliseconds.
The value of the M could be obtained by gauging the number of
screen pixels making up the .DELTA.d distance from the road
reference marker to the car reference sign. As example of extreme
values for GS, if .DELTA.d approaches the zero value, GS approaches
infinite; if the value of the te parameter approaches 63000
milliseconds, GS will tend to approach the zero value.
[0125] For calculation purposes, .DELTA.d is a value between 0 and
1 or between 0 and (-1) for when the center of graphic planar
object #1 is at the right or left side of a graphical reference
marker, like a center dashed line inside the road respectively, as
shown in FIG. 2
Then: 0.ltoreq.|.DELTA.d|.ltoreq.1 (2)
[0126] The value of .DELTA.d is obtained from the quotient between
(i) the number of screen pixels found between the reference sign of
graphic planar mobile object #1 and the intersection point and (ii)
the number of pixels found between the road's graphical reference
marker (at the intersection point) and the right or left
borderlines of the road. The SCF is a score correction factor which
compensates for the reduced value of .DELTA.d for same pixel
distances to the reference marker due to greater values of the road
amplitude for CPs other than CP.sub.0. By way of non-limiting
example, for CP.sub.0, SCF.sub.0=1, and for CP.sub.n,
SCF.sub.1-6>1.
[0127] Before the end of an ARC, the GS value, calculated at
sub-Module 211 of FIG. 5, is sent to Module 340, which defines the
ARC progression inside a session by sub-Module 341. Module 340 also
defines by sub-Module 343 and 344 the session's progression inside
a predefined program or the tandem of sessions to be executed
during a predefined number of days.
VI. Exemplary Session Details
[0128] In a preferred embodiment, a session contains a total of 4
ARCs lasting 84 seconds each, where each ARC is followed by an eye
tracking task performed during a post-ARC time segment. In the
first session of a program, the eye-tracking task time segment will
be of 81 seconds, as stated in Module 330 of FIG. 3. Hence the
total duration of a session is of 660 seconds.
[0129] Depending on the GS value obtained in Module 340, the
following ARC to be played by the user in a session will be
configured with a CP.sub.n set of variable parameter values defined
in the sub-Module 341 shown in FIG. 6 which is herein shown as a
non-limitative possibility example.
[0130] As a general rule, the user will continue playing at a
CP.sub.n level in following ARCs until the GS obtained for the
played ARC will be higher than the maximal range value assigned to
that specific CP.sub.n, or the GS obtained for the played ARC will
be lower than the minimal value in that specific CP.sub.n range. In
the former case, the user will play at a higher level of difficulty
at CP.sub.n+1 level in the subsequent ARC, and will drop a level of
difficulty and play at the CP.sub.n-1 level in the last case.
[0131] If the user achieves a GS score value of 47, for example, (a
GS value higher than the assigned maximum of 45.6) at the initial
CP.sub.0 level, in the next ARC, the user will engage in a
game-like task that has been configured according to the CP.sub.1
level of higher difficulty, where the range of potential raw scores
is of lower GS values (34.0-40.8) than those GS values which could
have been attained at the easier performance CP.sub.0 level.
[0132] In a preferred embodiment, the CP for the first ARC of a
session is always played at the CP.sub.0 level.
[0133] In a preferred embodiment, depending on the GS obtained by
Module 340 for the last ARC played of any session, 2 parameters
will be defined for the configuration of the following session in a
program, as follows: [0134] i. The CP.sub.n of the 2nd ARC in
accordance with sub-Module 341 of FIG. 6 [0135] ii. The number of
ARCs the user will play in the following session, which is shown in
sub-Module 342 of FIG. 6.
[0136] In the preferred embodiment, the total time of the session
is kept under 11 minutes (660 seconds). As the number of ARCs per
session increases in direct correlation with the EHCT played at
higher CP levels, the ETT will take place along shorter time
segments, as indicated in sub-Module 342 of FIG. 6.
[0137] In this post-ARC eye tracking task, the user's eye is
enticed to follow the movement of a non-verbal stimuli object #3,
which emerges from one side of the CW 110, and follows a horizontal
sequential kinematical path in the direction the user reads and
writes, disappearing behind the opposite side of the CW 110. In a
preferred embodiment, this sequential kinematical movement follows
a left to right trajectory path, where it vanishes to reappear
again emerging from the left side of the CW 110. In a preferred
embodiment, these trajectory paths will resemble the display lines
of a text in a book or a newspaper. Starting on the upper part of
the CW 110, each following trajectory path will emerge from a lower
point than the previous trajectory path on the left side.
Non-verbal stimuli object #3 will sequentially keep moving through
the kinematical line trajectories, until some predefined lower line
limit position and start back again from the upper trajectory line
position, if the time length of the post-ARC segment will allow
it.
[0138] About 4 seconds before the next ARC begins (if there is a
next ARC), moving object #3 starts to blink in order to signal the
user the upcoming start of the navigation period of non-verbal
stimuli graphic mobile planar object #1 during the ARC EHCT task.
Module 330 will indicate the shape of non-verbal stimuli object #3
from a library of shapes #7, as well as its color and its
kinematical parameters, which define its movement across the CW
110.
[0139] In a preferred embodiment, the eye tracked moving Non-verbal
stimuli object #3 decelerates its speed along its kinematical
trajectory path from the left end of the CW 110 until it vanishes
on the right end of the CW 110. The kinematical parameters shown in
the configuration file of Module 330 will consist in a velocity
parameter value V3 and an acceleration parameter value g.sub.3. The
traveled space S of object #3 across the CW 110 will be:
S=V.sub.3t-g.sub.3t.sup.2 (3)
[0140] Only one at a time kinematical linear trajectory path of
object #3 will be eye-tracked by the user.
[0141] If FIG. 7, an example of higher and lower linear trajectory
path in a CW 110 is shown, where moving non-verbal stimuli object
#3 consists in a square icon form. In an embodiment, the distance
between linear trajectory paths is 2% of the height screen
resolution. This eye-tracking task can be accomplished in many
different forms by for example, choosing different shapes for
moving object #3, different vertical separations between linear
trajectory paths and different values for the velocity and
acceleration parameters. The above example is for the preferred
embodiment.
[0142] Computers provide a series of time values generally known as
interrupts, associated with the movement of the mouse pointer on
the screen, indicating if the mouse pointer is changing or not its
`x, y` coordinates' location values on the screen monitor.
[0143] The activity level Module 230 of FIG. 8 provides a mechanism
by which, if the number of interrupts and/or smoothness in the
mouse movements decreases below some predefined activity threshold
shown in Module 330, the graphic planar mobile object #1 changes
its default color from yellow to the red color. In addition, if the
mouse movements become increasingly smoother and the number of
interruptions surpasses some predefined activity threshold shown in
Module 330, graphic planar mobile object #1 changes its default
color from yellow to blue.
[0144] Computer time data of interrupts (Tint) is produced as long
as graphic planar mobile object #1 (to which the pointer is fixed)
keeps moving on the screen. If graphic planar mobile object #1
stops and starts moving again, the produced time series of Tint
data will present a time gap (Tg) between the computer clock time
when graphic planar mobile object #1 actually stopped and the
computer clock time when graphic planar mobile object #1 started
moving again. Differences between external clock's time data and
computer's clock time data will most likely exist due to the
computer time processing granularity which, depending on the
computer, could be in the order of 20 msc.
[0145] On a non-limitative example of how mouse movement can be
quantified in real time, in order to provide a desired feedback to
the user, Activity Level Module 230 shown in FIG. 8 has been
configured in accordance to the method and algorithms which are now
described. [0146] i. Produce an array of time gaps T.sub.gn
(T.sub.g1, T.sub.g2, T.sub.g3 . . . T.sub.gn). [0147] ii. Define an
idle threshold time value T.sub.L, which will depend on the
CP.sub.n level at which graphic planar mobile object #1 is
navigated by the user (T.sub.Ln). [0148] iii. In a running time
window of 3000 milliseconds, calculate total idle time for this
window (TT.sub.idl).
[0148] TTidl=.SIGMA.T.sub.g-T.sub.Ln for all T.sub.g>T.sub.Ln
(4) [0149] iv. The active time of the user (T.sub.a) in
milliseconds during the running window will be:
[0149] T.sub.a=3000-TTidl (5) [0150] v. Calculate the percentage of
user's active time T.sub.a, in the running window as:
[0150] % T a = T a 3000 100 ( 6 ) ##EQU00002## [0151] vi. Repeat
steps i) to v) at each 1000 milliseconds.
[0152] The value of T.sub.Ln depends on the ordinal value of n in
the CP.sub.n, as follows:
T.sub.Ln=110-10n (7)
[0153] The graphic planar mobile object #1 turns red if: %
T.sub.a.ltoreq.55% (according to Module 330)
[0154] The graphic planar mobile object #1 turns green if: %
T.sub.a.gtoreq.70% (according to Module 330)
[0155] In a preferred embodiment, raw scores obtained by users
playing the herein game-like task are analyzed in order to provide
a non-real time feedback to the user, to keep him/her informed of
performance and changes in personal parameter values of relevance
and important for statistical studies about responses of different
populations after the use of this system.
[0156] Because the EHCT is played at different levels of
difficulty, raw scores are individually normalized in relation to
the particular difficulty that each user confronts at the lowest
CP.sub.0 difficulty level.
[0157] In an embodiment, the Game Raw Score (GS) obtained in an ARC
with algorithm (1) is individually normalized by Module 310 shown
in FIG. 9 by the following method: [0158] i. A reference Normalize
Game Score (NGS.sub.0) is calculated by averaging all GS values
obtained during the 1st and 2nd sessions in ARCs that were played
at CP.sub.0 by a user.
[0158] NGS.sub.o=Avg GS at CP0 (or 1st and 2nd session) (a) The
obtained individual reference value GSo will be valid for a number
of sessions in a predefined program. The GSo value is calculated by
sub-Module 311 of FIG. 9. [0159] ii. Per each individual user, a
normalization coefficient NCoef.sub.n for a GS played at that
particular session at CP.sub.n (n=1 to 6), will be
[0159] NCoef n = NG S 0 Avg GS n ( 9 ) ##EQU00003## Where GS.sub.n
are the raw scores of ARCs played at CP.sub.n in that particular
session [0160] iii. The NCoef.sub.n of a particular session
according to (ii) will be saved in the Database Memory Module 320
of FIG. 1 and used to calculate the normalized score of ARCs played
at CP.sub.n in that particular session or in future sessions of a
predefined program. Normalized game scores for each ARC played at
CP.sub.n (NGS.sub.n) are calculated by Module 311 of FIG. 9.
[0160] NGS.sub.n=NCoef.sub.nGS.sub.n (10)
[0161] In addition to calculating the GS for user performance
across the area depicting the total width of the road from one
borderline to the other along the rectilinear pathway of non-verbal
stimuli graphic planar mobile object #1, we can also calculate the
GS for the user performance on the right side (GS.sub.right) and on
the left side (GS.sub.left) of the road pathway separately.
GS right = 1 mean ( .DELTA. d right ) 2 .times. 63000 - te right
63000 .times. 1 SCF ( 11 ) GS left = 1 mean ( .DELTA. d left ) 2
.times. 63000 - te left 63000 .times. 1 SCF ( 12 ) ##EQU00004##
[0162] Where te.sub.right is the value representing the time spent
on the right side of the road and te.sub.left is the value
representing the time spent on the left side of the road
respectively.
[0163] When these values are calculated by sub-Module 312 of FIG.
9, it is possible to obtain the user's lateralization index (LAT)
as a function of GS.sub.right and GS.sub.left.
LAT.sub.i=f(GS.sub.right,GS.sub.left)
[0164] The value of LAT.sub.i can be calculated in two algorithmic
ways as
GS right GS left ##EQU00005##
or also as
2 GS right GS right + GS left . ##EQU00006##
In the preferred embodiment, the second algorithmic way is
implemented, and calculated by sub-Module 312 of FIG. 9.
[0165] The normalized game scores of individual users and their
lateralization indexes are stored in the Database Memory Module 320
of FIG. 1.
[0166] In between sessions time intervals follow a number of
requirements and rules, implemented by Module 340, at its
sub-Module 343 and 344, as shown in FIG. 6.
[0167] At the end of a session, the user receives a screen message
informing him/her when he/she are recommended to execute the
following session.
[0168] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing functional steps by which a
single session of the herein invention is performed, in accordance
with an embodiment of the present invention. One skilled in the
relevant arts will appreciate that inventive aspects of the present
invention may be accomplished by a subset of the steps depicted in
the flowchart of FIG. 10, and the precise steps shown in FIG. 10
are provided by way of example, and not limitation.
[0169] By means of the keyboard 400 of FIG. 1, the user will
introduce in the system's Database Memory Module 320 of FIG. 10,
any required data for the session to be performed, as predefined in
the user's manual and/or showing up on screen monitor 100 of FIG.
1. Data of the user stored in Database Memory Module 320 of FIG. 10
together with related user's parameters obtained from Module 310 of
FIG. 9 and Module 340 of FIG. 6 after completion of 1st ARC of 1st
session, are sent to the Parameters Configuration Module 330 of
FIG. 3, which in turn will send particular required parameters to
Memory Module 220 of FIG. 1, in order for the required ARC of that
particular session to be configured.
[0170] The first ARC of any session is configured according to
challenge parameters corresponding to CP.sub.0, but the 2nd ARC
configuration of the 1st session depends on the raw score obtained
by the user in the first ARC, whereas the 2nd ARC of all the
following sessions in a predefined program, depends on the raw
score obtained in the last ARC of the previous session.
[0171] After playing the eye-hand movements' coordination task
during an ARC, the user will engage in an eye-tracking task,
immediately followed again by an ARC playing the eye-hand
movements' coordination task for a time specified in Module 340 of
FIG. 6. While playing the eye-hand movements' coordination task
with the mouse, Activity Level Module 230 of FIG. 8 provides the
user with real time feedback information of his/her hand's
movements. While the default color of the car is yellow, under some
predefined activity threshold the car will turn red if the user
does not continuously move the mouse and/or does not navigate the
car smoothly. Above some predefined activity threshold level of
navigation smoothness and/or continuity in the mouse movements, the
car will turn blue. In an embodiment, feedback is provided each
second, based in the user's navigation performance during the
previous 3 seconds.
[0172] For each ARC, raw scores are calculated by Module 210 of
FIG. 5, which sends the calculated values to ARC and Session
Progression Module 340 of FIG. 6 according to which is determined
if the following ARC played by the user will remain or not at the
same CP level), which in turn sends information to Challenge
Parameters Module 240 of FIG. 4.
[0173] At the end of a session, the user will receive a
recommendation on his computer screen, regarding the suggested
optimal time schedule range for him/her to engage in the next
session. This individual, customized user scheduled program, is
performed by ARC and Session Progression Module 340 of FIG. 6.
Personal user feedback performance information about his/her
normalized raw score and changes in his/her lateralization index,
can be obtained by a Printer Module 600. The printed data about
his/her personal performance data it is stored in Database Memory
Module 320 of FIG. 1, which was previously received from Individual
Score Performance Calculations Module 310 of FIG. 9.
VII. Example Computer System Implementation
[0174] Various embodiments and portions thereof of the present
invention can be implemented by software, firmware, hardware, or a
combination thereof. FIG. 11 illustrates an example computer system
1100 in which the present invention, or portions thereof, can be
implemented as computer-readable code. For example, the behaviors
of the modules in FIG. 1 and the flowchart of FIG. 10 can be
implemented in system 1100. Various embodiments of the invention
are described in terms of this example computer system 1100. After
reading this description, it will become apparent to a person
skilled in the relevant art how to implement the invention using
other computer systems and/or computer architectures.
[0175] Computer system 1100 includes one or more processors, such
as processor 1104. Processor 1104 can be a special purpose or a
general purpose processor. Processor 1104 is connected to a
communication infrastructure 1106 (for example, a bus or
network).
[0176] Computer system 1100 also includes a main memory 1108,
preferably random access memory (RAM), and may also include a
secondary memory 1110. Secondary memory 1110 may include, for
example, a hard disk drive 1112, a removable storage drive 1114,
and/or a memory stick. Removable storage drive 1114 may comprise a
floppy disk drive, a magnetic tape drive, an optical disk drive, a
flash memory, or the like. The removable storage drive 1114 reads
from and/or writes to a removable storage unit 1118 in a well-known
manner. Removable storage unit 1118 may comprise a floppy disk,
magnetic tape, optical disk, etc. that is read by and written to by
removable storage drive 1114. As will be appreciated by persons
skilled in the relevant art(s), removable storage unit 1118
includes a computer usable storage medium having stored therein
computer software and/or data.
[0177] In alternative implementations, secondary memory 1110 may
include other similar means for allowing computer programs or other
instructions to be loaded into computer system 1100. Such means may
include, for example, a removable storage unit 1122 and an
interface 1120. Examples of such means may include a program
cartridge and cartridge interface (such as that found in video game
devices), a removable memory chip (such as an EPROM, or PROM) and
associated socket, and other removable storage units 1122 and
interfaces 1120 that allow software and data to be transferred from
the removable storage unit 1122 to computer system 1100.
[0178] Computer system 1100 may also include a communications
interface 1124. Communications interface 1124 allows software and
data to be transferred between computer system 1100 and external
devices. Communications interface 1124 may include a modem, a
network interface (such as an Ethernet card), a communications
port, a PCMCIA slot and card, or the like. Software and data
transferred via communications interface 1124 are in the form of
signals that may be electronic, electromagnetic, optical, or other
signals capable of being received by communications interface 1124.
These signals are provided to communications interface 1124 via a
communications path 1126. Communications path 1126 carries signals
and may be implemented using wire or cable, fiber optics, a phone
line, a cellular phone link, an RF link or other communications
channels.
[0179] In this document, the terms "computer program medium" and
"computer usable medium" are used to generally refer to media such
as removable storage unit 1118, removable storage unit 1122, and a
hard disk installed in hard disk drive 1112. Signals carried over
communications path 1126 can also embody the logic described
herein. Computer program medium and computer usable medium can also
refer to memories, such as main memory 1108 and secondary memory
1110, which can be memory semiconductors (e.g. DRAMs, etc.). These
computer program products are means for providing software to
computer system 1100.
[0180] Computer programs (also called computer control logic) are
stored in main memory 1108 and/or secondary memory 1110. Computer
programs may also be received via communications interface 1124.
Such computer programs, when executed, enable computer system 1100
to implement the present invention as discussed herein. In
particular, the computer programs, when executed, enable processor
1104 to implement the processes of the present invention, such as
the steps in the methods illustrated by the behaviors of the
modules in FIG. 1 and the flowchart of FIG. 10, discussed above.
Accordingly, such computer programs represent controllers of the
computer system 1100. Where the invention is implemented using
software, the software may be stored in a computer program product
and loaded into computer system 1100 using removable storage drive
1114, interface 1120, hard drive 1112 or communications interface
1124.
[0181] The invention is also directed to computer program products
comprising software stored on any computer useable medium. Such
software, when executed in one or more data processing device,
causes a data processing device(s) to operate as described herein.
Embodiments of the invention employ any computer useable or
readable medium, known now or in the future. Examples of computer
useable mediums include, but are not limited to, primary storage
devices (e.g., any type of random access memory), secondary storage
devices (e.g., hard drives, floppy disks, CD ROMS, ZIP disks,
tapes, magnetic storage devices, optical storage devices, MEMS,
nanotechnological storage device, etc.), and communication mediums
(e.g., wired and wireless communications networks, local area
networks, wide area networks, intranets, etc.).
VIII. Conclusion
[0182] It is to be appreciated that the Detailed Description
section, and not the Summary and Abstract sections, is intended to
be used to interpret the claims. The Summary and Abstract sections
may set forth one or more but not all exemplary embodiments of the
present invention as contemplated by the inventor(s), and thus, are
not intended to limit the present invention and the appended claims
in any way.
[0183] The present invention has been described above with the aid
of functional building blocks illustrating the implementation of
specified functions and relationships thereof. The boundaries of
these functional building blocks have been arbitrarily defined
herein for the convenience of the description. Alternate boundaries
can be defined so long as the specified functions and relationships
thereof are appropriately performed.
[0184] The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will
so fully reveal the general nature of the invention that others
can, by applying knowledge within the skill of the art, readily
modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific
embodiments, without undue experimentation, without departing from
the general concept of the present invention. Therefore, such
adaptations and modifications are intended to be within the meaning
and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments, based on the
teaching and guidance presented herein. It is to be understood that
the phraseology or terminology herein is for the purpose of
description and not of limitation, such that the terminology or
phraseology of the present specification is to be interpreted by
the skilled artisan in light of the teachings and guidance.
[0185] The breadth and scope of the present invention should not be
limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but
should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and
their equivalents.
* * * * *