Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to a technique for evoking in
a subject generalized emotional states which are each expressed
in tactile terms in the course of a sentic cycle and give rise
to an emotional release having beneficial effects, and more
particularly to a sentic cycler unit for carrying out this
technique, the unit including a programmed microprocessor
associated with a solid-state memory in which a set of words
representing different emotions are digitally stored and are
sequentially reproduced in accordance with the program.
2. Status of Prior Art
A concern of the present invention is with the relief of stress
and the dissipation of anxiety by affording a subject with a
natural means for emotional expression without the need for
acquiring specific skills to attain this end. The utility of the
invention is not limited to distressed subjects, for it may be
used to enhance the mental state of normal subjects. A study of
human emotions from the biocybernetic standpoint may be found in
the text, "Biomedical Engineering Systems," edited by Clynes and
Milsum (McGraw-Hill--1970).
In studies reported in the above-identified text, the
difficulties of measuring emotional characteristics
quantitatively were overcome by normalizing expressions of
emotion through measurement of touch-pressure transients in two
dimensions produced by one finger of the subject, and by using
internally-generated fantasized emotions. By requiring
repetitive expressive acts for each emotion and averaging these
acts on a computer, one derives from the transient pattern
created by finger pressure, the expressive shape for the emotion
generated through repetitive expressions.
The use of a single finger to produce an expressive shape
assumes the existence of a basic brain program for the
expression of a given emotion. It is, however, immaterial
whether a finger, foot or other body part is used in the
expression. The consistent results obtained with this
measurement technique confirms this supposition.
My prior patent U.S. Pat. No. 3,755,922 (1973) discloses a
system for producing a set of personalized sentograms
constituting a personality relationship profile of a subject
being diagnosed. This system includes a programmer in the form
of a standard magnetic tape cassette player adapted to present
to the subject a predetermined sequence of names, each
identifying an individual with whom the subject has a close
relationship or about whom the subject has distinct feelings.
After a name is presented, the subject is commanded by a signal
to express his feeling about the named individual by pressing
with his finger a finger rest on a pressure-sensitive transducer
to produce a transient wave form whose shape reflects this
feeling. The shapes initiated by a series of command signals are
averaged to created a personalized sentogram. The set of
sentograms resulting from the sequence of names provides a
personality relationship profile of the subject useful in
diagnosis and prognosis. The present invention does not seek to
provide sentograms but serves to employ the tactile expression
of emotions for beneficial purposes. By evoking repetitive
expressive acts for each emotion and averaging these acts on a
computer, one derives from the transient pattern created by
finger pressure, the expressive shape for the emotion.
The use of a single finger to produce an expressive shape
assumes the existence of a basic brain program for the
expression of a given emotion. It is, however, immaterial
whether a finger, foot or other body part is used in the
expression. The consistent results obtained with this
measurement technique confirms this supposition.
My prior patent U.S. Pat. No. 3,755,922 (1973) discloses a
system for producing a set of personalized sentograms
constituting a personality relationship profile of a subject
being diagnosed. This system includes a programmer in the form
of a standard magnetic tape cassette player adapted to present
to the subject a predetermined sequence of names, each
identifying an individual with whom the subject has a close
relationship or about whom the subject has distinct feelings.
After a name is presented, the subject is commanded by a signal
to express his feeling about the named individual by pressing
with his finger a finger rest on a pressure-sensitive transducer
to produce a transient wave form whose shape reflects this
feeling. The shapes initiated by a series of command signals are
averaged to created a personalized sentogram. The set of
sentograms resulting from the sequence of names provides a
personality relationship profile of the subject useful in
diagnosis and prognosis. The present invention does not seek to
provide sentograms but serves to employ the tactile expression
of emotions for beneficial purposes.
Hence of greater relevance is my prior patent U.S. Pat. No.
3,691,652 (1972), where in order to enhance the ability of a
subject to express emotions freely and to overcome his
inhibitive and repressive tendencies, a system is provided for
generating generalized emotional states by way of repeated
random signal initiations and expressive touch. The subject goes
through a programmed sequence of generalized states of emotion
in the course of a sentic cycle whose duration is, say, 30
minutes. Such sentic cycles have been found to have a calming
effect on the subject and to result in a lessening of stress and
anxiety.
A more detailed analysis of sentic cycles is found in chapter 5
of the text "Emotion and Psychopathology," edited by M. Clynes
and J. Panksepp, Plenum Press, New York 1988, this chapter being
headed "Generalized Emotion, How It is Produced and Sentic Cycle
Therapy." Appendix A in this chapter gives "Timings for The
Start of Expressions for Sentic Cycles (soft clicks)."
As in my '922 patent, in the system disclosed in my '652
patent, the subject is called upon to express the quality of a
sentic state given in a word approximation, such as love, hate,
anger, grief, sex and reverence. This state is physically
expressed by pressing a finger rest actuating a
pressure-sensitive transducer whose output is converted to a
sentic expressive transient shape exhibited on a TV screen or
other visual indicator. In both of my patents, in order to
present in sequence the words representing the emotions, each of
which is followed by a command signal, use is made of a
conventional magnetic tape cassette player.
The system disclosed in my prior '652 patent is relatively
elaborate and costly, and by no means portable. Hence the
subject, in order to obtain the benefit of the system, must
attend a facility having the necessary equipment. This rules out
the use by the subject of the system at home or at whatever
other site suits his convenience and needs.
Inasmuch as a sentic cycler unit in accordance with the
invention makes use of a microelectronic system having a
solid-state memory to store the words and signals necessary for
a sentic cycle, the following prior art patents are of
background interest.
The Shirf et al. patent U.S. Pat. No. 3,803,535 and the DeSmet
patent U.S. Pat. No. 4,884,974 both disclose solid-state devices
in which words and sound effects are digitally stored in a
read-only memory chip or ROM. A ROM is a non-volatile memory
which once its discrete storage sites are loaded, the data stays
therein even if the power is shut off. In order to load the ROM,
spoken words and sound effects are first recorded to produce an
audio waveform which is then sampled at a high sampling rate.
Each sample is then digitized and stored as a binary value in a
ROM site. Then in order to extract the stored sounds from the
ROM and reconstruct the audio waveform, the stored digital
values are read out from the ROM and fed in sequence as input
signals to a digital-to-analog converter.
Message extraction from a ROM is effected by a start-of-message
signal applied to an electronic clock which then generates a
train of periodic clock pulses that are applied to a counter
that causes the memory sites in the ROM where the digitized
samples of the message are stored, to be read out in sequence.
The digitized sample signals yielded by the ROM are fed to a
D-to-A converter whose output is a stepped analog waveform. This
is applied to a low-pass filter to smooth out the transitions in
the stepped wave to produce an audio signal resembling the
original audio signal. This audio signal is amplified and
reproduced so that it can be heard by the user.
Also of background interest are the following publications:
Methodology in Sentographic Measurement of Motor Expression of
Emotion: Two-Dimensional Freedom of Gesture Essential" by Clynes
in Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1989, 68 779-183.
"Inherent Cognitive Substrates of Specific Emotions: Love is
Blocked by Lying but Not Anger," by Clynes and Ryan in
Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1990, 70 195-206.
"Some Guidelines for the Synthesis and Testing of by Clynes in
Music Perception, Summer 1990, Vol. 7, No. 4, 403-422.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
The main object of this invention is to provide a
self-sufficient sentic cycler unit adapted in the course of a
sentic cycle to evoke in a subject a series of generalized
emotional states which are each expressed in tactile terms and
gives rise as with music to an emotional release having
beneficial effects.
A significant advantage of a sentic cycler unit in accordance
with the invention as compared to the system disclosed in my
prior '922 patent is that it is highly compact and portable, and
may be used by a subject at home or whatever other site suits
his convenience and needs. Another advantage of this unit is
that it does away with the need to visually represent sentic
waveforms, for these waveforms play no role in obtaining an
emotional release.
More specifically, an object of this invention is to provide a
battery-powered sentic cycler unit constituted by a programmed
microprocessor associated with a solid-state memory, so that the
unit may be used at any site, whether or not a power source is
there available.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a sentic
cycler unit in which each reproduced word derived from the
memory representing a particular emotion is followed by a series
of time-spaced command signals or clicks instructing the subject
to exert finger pressure on a finger rest in a manner expressing
this emotion, whereby the subject continues to express this
emotion in response to each click in the series.
A salient feature of the invention resides in a unit having two
button controls, one of which when actuated at some point in the
series of time-spaced clicks following a particular reproduced
word, causes the sentic cycler unit to revert to the first click
in the series, whereby the subject can then repeatedly express
the same emotion for an additional number of times. The second
button, when actuated at some point in the series of clicks,
causes the unit to skip over the remaining clicks in the series
and to reproduce the next word in the sequence. And if the
second button is actuated at the end of a sentic cycle, the
entire cycle is repeated.
Also an object of the invention is to provide a highly compact
unit which operates efficiently and reliably and can be mass
produced at low cost so that its therapeutic benefits can be
made widely available.
Briefly stated, these objects are attained in a self-sufficient
sentic cycler unit usable by a subject to generate and express
emotions as an art form of touch, and in doing so to overcome
inhibitive and repressive tendencies, and to relieve stress and
dissipate anxiety. The unit includes a solid-state memory having
digitally stored therein a set of words representing different
emotions, such as love or anger, as well as a click or other
command signal instructing the subject to tactilely express the
emotion represented by the word selected from the memory. The
memory is controlled by a clock and a programmed microprocessor
to produce a sentic cycle in the course of which words are
selected from the set in a predetermined sequence, each selected
word being followed by a series of time-spaced clicks.
The digital output of the memory is converted into an analog
signal that is reproduced so that it can be heard by the
subject. The unit is provided with a finger rest which is to be
pressed by the subject who after hearing a selected word then
hears a command click in the click series following the word.
The subject, after hearing each word, then exerts finger
pressure on the finger rest in a manner expressive of the
emotion evoked by the word.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
For a better understanding of the invention as well as other
objects and further features thereof, reference is made to the
following detailed description to be read in conjunction with
the accompanying drawing, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sentic cycler unit in
accordance with the invention; and
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the microelectronic system
included in the unit.
DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION
The Unit
Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a preferred embodiment
of a sentic cycler unit in accordance with the invention. The
unit is housed in a shallow casing molded of synthetic plastic
material of high-strength, such as polypropylene or nylon. The
casing has the shape of a flattened egg and is so compact that
it can be clutched in one hand. Casing 10 is formed of separable
complementary lower and upper sections which can be pried apart
to permit batteries to be loaded therein.
Integral with the upper section of casing 10 at about its
center is a raised finger rest 11. Rest 11 is provided at its
central zone with a region formed of a slightly elastomeric or
"giving" material. Hence when this region is engaged by the ball
of a finger of the subject, such as the middle finger 12 shown
in FIG. 1, this region yields somewhat when subjected to heavy
pressure. In this way, the subject receives the impression that
the finger rest is responsive to the applied pressure. The
manner in which finger pressure is applied and the degree of
pressure reflects the emotion expressed by the subject in
relation to the selected word. The pressure pattern is generally
consistent in response to a given word, but it differs from word
to word. Thus the degree of finger pressure and how it is
applied to the finger rest to physically express the emotion for
the word "love" will be quite different from that applied to the
finger rest to express the emotion "hate."
The upper section is also provided with buttons or
touch-sensitive switches B.sub.2 and B.sub.2 whose function will
be later described. These buttons are adjacent the fingers of
the subject so that they may be actuated by a finger other than
the one then engaging the finger rest. The sentic cycler unit is
also provided with a small loudspeaker, say, of a one-inch
diameter, from which is heard in sequence during the course of
each sentic cycle emotion-representing words such as "love,"
"hate," or "anger," each word being followed by a series of
time-spaced clicking sounds or other command signals instructing
the subject to express by finger pressure the emotion evoked by
the selected word.
The speaker may be mounted on the lower section of the casing
facing the supporting surface on which the unit rests. The lower
section is provided at its undersurface with cushioning pads or
feet which also serve to prevent the unit from sliding on this
surface.
In practice, it is best that the subject make use of the sentic
cycler unit in a sitting position, and for this purpose the
compact unit can be placed on a coffee table, or on the armrest
of a chair. Also, instead of a loudspeaker, an outlet jack may
be provided for earphones.
The System
Referring now to FIG. 2 showing the microelectronic system
included in the unit, it will be seen that the system includes a
read-only-memory ROM 13. Digitally stored in ROM 13 are the set
of words required for a sentic cycle lasting about 30 minutes,
typically, "no emotion," "anger," "hate," "grief," "love,"
"sex," "joy" and "reverence." Also digitally stored in ROM 13 is
the sound of a command click such as that produced by a soft
knock on a piece of wood or any other abrupt sound signal acting
to command the subject to apply finger pressure to the finger
rest to physically express the emotion the subject feels that is
represented by the selected word in the sequence.
ROM 13 is controlled by a microprocessor 14 associated with an
electronic clock 15. A microprocessor is a central control unit
on a single integrated circuit chip. Each microprocessor has its
own architecture which encompasses the general layout of its
major components. These components, which constitute the
hardware of the microprocessor, include a program counter, a
register, an arithmetic/logic unit, bus control and an internal
memory or stack. Besides the hardware is the instruction set or
software, the program of which takes the form of a set of
logically related instructions stored in the internal memory of
the microprocessor.
The program of microprocessor 14, as governed by clock 15, is
such as to extract at predetermined times from ROM 13 in the
course of each sentic cycle, successive words in the word set
digitally stored in the ROM, each word being followed by a
series of time-spaced clicks to command the subject to respond
to the previously extracted word. The digital output of ROM 13
is converted by a D-to-A converter 16 into a corresponding
analog signal. This analog signal, which is in stepped form,
after suitable filtering, is applied to an amplifier 17 whose
output is fed to a loudspeaker 18. Thus the subject in the
course of a sentic cycle hears each word selected from the set,
and after each word, the subject hears at spaced intervals the
series of command clicks.
In practice, ROM 13, microprocessor 14, clock 15 and D/A
converter 16 may be integrated into a single chip. Typically,
this chip can be an ESS 3000 chip or one similar thereto. The
unit is powered by a battery pack 19 preferably made up of AAA
cells of the alkaline type or of the rechargeable nickel cadmium
type.
The time spacing between clicks in a series thereof are
preferably different for each emotion, but are distributed
around a mean time appropriate for each emotion in a range of 4
to 10 seconds. The number of clicks in the series thereof
following each word representing an emotion also varies from
emotion to emotion in the sentic cycle sequence, but lies in a
range of about 20 to 40 clicks per series.
The function of buttons B.sub.1 and B.sub.2 will now be
explained. Both buttons or touch-sensitive switches are
associated with microprocessor 14. When button B.sub.1 is
actuated in the course of a series of time-spaced clicks that
follows the reproduction of a word in the sequence, the system
then reverts to the first click in the series. This action gives
the subject an additional number of clicks to express the
emotion represented by the preceding word.
Thus if the word is "love," and button B.sub.1 is actuated
after the subject has already responded to 12 clicks in a series
of 20, then the subject will now hear a series of 20 clicks;
hence the total number of clicks following the word "love" is
32. In this way, the subject can prolong a particular
emotion-response phase for as long as he desires. This freedom
to prolong a given phase is useful to a subject who may feel
that he or she on a particular occasion needs more time to
express and enjoy a specific emotion.
In other instances, the subject may feel that in repeatedly
expressing a particular emotion in response to the series of
clicks following the word representing this emotion, that this
expression has been sufficient when expressing this emotion,
say, to the 12th click in a 20 click series, or the subject may
not wish, on this occasion, to express, say, hate, or he may be
pressed for time. The subject may then wish to skip the
remaining clicks in the series and go on to the next word in the
sequence. This skipping action is effected by actuating button
B.sub.2 which, when pressed, causes the microprocessor to read
out from ROM 13 the next word in the sequence.
Button B.sub.2 can also be used to effect a repeat of the
entire sentic cycle. By pressing button B.sub.2 at the
conclusion of a sentic cycle, it will cause the microprocessor
to read out from ROM 13 the first word in the sentic cycle
sequence, causing the unit to repeat the cycle.
It has been found that at the completion of a sentic cycle,
that the catharsis resulting from expressing a spectrum of
emotions serves to relax the subject and to relieve his tensions
without, however, diminishing his energy level. Indeed, it may
heighten this level. Because the subject, who has had the
benefit of the sentic cycle, is then substantially free of
stress and anxiety, he is able to sleep better. Moreover, the
subject, by continuing to use the unit over a period of weeks,
learns to get in touch with the full range of his emotions and
to discriminate among emotions and thereby relate more
effectively with others in a more natural fashion.
The sentic cycler unit does not indicate or measure the dynamic
sentic shapes evoked by the subject, nor does it indicate how
well the subject has performed, for these are irrelevant to the
beneficial function of the unit.
To render the unit usable universally, stored in the ROM are
the seven to nine or more words in the set which normally make
up a sentic cycle given in several languages, such as English,
French, German, Russian, Japanese, Spanish and Italian. The ROM
selected for this purpose must, of course, have a sufficient
storage capacity for storing all of the words in the set in
several languages. In this arrangement, the microprocessor must
be associated with a language-selector switch or other enabling
device.
Each click has a duration of 5 to 25 milliseconds, and the
silent intervals between clicks are typically 4 to 10 seconds.
Thus the unit has a very small duty cycle, for it is silent more
than 99 percent of the time. The unit therefore consumes
relatively little power and is operable for a prolonged period
before it becomes necessary to replace or recharge the
batteries.
Typically, the feeling of well being and calm imparted to the
subject by the sentic cycler unit will last about 24 hours. It
is recommended, therefore, that the subject use the unit three
to five times a week. Under periods of stress, more frequent use
may be desirable.
While stress relief and the dissipation of anxiety are obtained
through the unit, it is also beneficial to those individuals who
are relatively free of stress, for it enhances their sense of
well being. Because the unit weighs only a few ounces and is
highly compact, it can easily be carried in a pocket or purse.
An individual's ability to mentally control certain of his
physiological functions such as body temperature or blood
pressure is known as self-regulation. But with the exception of
those committed to transcendental meditation, self-regulation
techniques have not been widely practiced in Western society,
possibly because many disorders induced or aggravated by stress
which lend themselves to alleviation by self-regulation can more
readily be treated by medication. Thus a tension headache as
well as a migraine (a vascular headache more painful than a
tension headache) can, to some degree, be relieved by aspirin
and other drugs. Such medication does not, however, do away with
stress factors responsible for the headache but serves only to
moderate the symptoms. Moreover, aspirin and other drugs, when
taken frequently and in large doses, often have deleterious side
effects.
Emotional feelings are reflected in physiological activity.
When an individual is angry, this feeling may be accompanied by
changes in pulse rate, blood pressure and body temperature, and
also by reactive physical movements. Thus an angry individual
often clenches his fist.
In the context of a sentic cycler unit in accordance with the
invention, anger is physically expressed by finger pressure
imposed on the finger rest. And one reason the unit acts to
relieve stress and have a calming effect on the subject is that
an emotion such as anger is not suppressed but is released in
the form of finger pressure.
However, anger is but one of several primary emotions, and with
the sentic cycler unit, a spectrum of emotions is traversed in
the course of each sentic cycle, both positive and negative.
A sentic cycler unit of the above-described type is passive in
the sense that when a subject responds to a command click by
applying finger pressure to the finger rest, apart from a slight
yielding of the rest, the unit does not otherwise react to the
applied pressure. The reaction which does occur takes place in
the consciousness of the subject as he experiences an emotion
evoked by the selected word and expresses this emotion by a
finger action.
In order, therefore, to render the unit interactive, one may
associate with the finger rest a pressure-sensitive switch which
is actuated whenever the rest is pressed by the subject's
finger, regardless of the degree of applied pressure. This
switch is coupled to the microprocessor, and the system is so
arranged that when a command click is heard following a selected
word, and the subject then applies finger pressure to the rest
to express the emotion represented by the word, the subject then
hears a musical tone, phrase, chord or sound expressive of this
emotion. Alternatively, the click itself may initiate the
emotional sound.
Thus if the selected word is "grief," the musical tone then
produced could be a dark cello sound suggestive of grief. And if
the selected word is "love," then an appropriate musical phrase
could be a soft violin sound, while for the word "anger," a
growling tone produced by a tuba could be used. All of these
sounds could be expressed with characteristic sentic forms (See:
Clynes '773 and '992 patents).
The purpose of this musical sound is to create an aural
environment serving to induce in the subject an emotional
feeling appropriate to the selected word. The set of musical
tones, phrases, chords or other sounds appropriate to the
spectrum of words representing emotions are also stored in the
ROM, and the microprocessor is programmed to respond to the
finger rest switch action by extracting from the ROM the sound
expression appropriate to the particular emotion to be then
expressed by the subject upon hearing the command click
following the selected word. The duration of the tones
preferably corresponds to major portions of the intervals
between command clicks so that the tones are played during the
series of clicks following the selected word. The sounds so
produced may be provided with every second or third touch
expression, rather than with every single touch expression.
Art Form of Touch
With a sentic cycler unit in accordance with the invention, as
the subject continues to use the unit, he can in doing so
develop his own artistic touch, for the manner in which he
presses the finger rest depends on his emotional feelings and
how they are translated into finger motion. In developing and
applying his own "touch," the subject will in this process gain
measure of aesthetic satisfaction and improve the communication
of feelings to others.
The practice of sentic cycles may therefore be regarded as a
simple art form of touch. The sequence and timing of emotions
and their expressions is given--this representing the
composition. However, the emotions are not those of a composer,
but those of the individual who practices the art form of touch.
Improvisatory and spontaneous expressiveness and thought are
combined with a program or metastructure (the series and
duration of each emotion phase).
This art form of touch resides in the discovery, by each
person, of the most appropriate and effective dynamic form of
expressing an emotion, and sensing how that expression generates
the emotion. Having found and sensed this, the person can then
apply it to other situations and modes, thereby increasing the
"livingness" (to use Susan Langer's term) of their communication
and experience, and become more authentic.
This art teaches an individual how easily he or she can switch
from one emotion to another, at will, and how such a sequence of
emotions results in an overall impression greater than the sum
of the parts. It impresses on the person how emotions are
embedded in time, how time is part of the expression,
communication and experience of emotion. And finally it can
teach also how we may "consider" emotion and its quality,
without becoming totally involved bodily, so that its timeless
aspects are also perceived, as an existential entity.
In this (seemingly uniquely human) mode, called Apollonian (as
distinguished from the more usual Dionysian mode), it becomes
possible also to view the cognitive substrates of each emotion
and become cognizant of them free from the constraints
experienced in everyday life. Like other true art forms, the art
form of touch is conducive to empathy and compassion. But unlike
the visual and musical arts, the touch art of sentic cycles can
be effectively learned in a relatively short period.
While there has been shown and described a preferred embodiment
of a sentic cycler unit in accordance with the invention, it
will be appreciated that many changes and modifications may be
made therein without, however, departing from the essential
spirit thereof.
