SENSOR WEB DEVICE FOR MEASURING ELECTROMYOGRAPHIC SIGNALS
A sensor web device is provided for measuring EMG (electromyographic) signals. The device has a base sheet and a plurality of EMG sensors disposed on the base sheet. The plurality of EMG sensors are arranged so that a desired EMG signal of a muscle in a human body is obtained by a corresponding one of the plurality of EMG sensors.
This application claims priority of U.S. provisional application No. 61/344,893 filed on Nov. 5, 2010, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.
TECHNICAL FIELDThe present disclosure relates to a sensor device for measuring multiple signals by the use of multiple interconnected surface electromyographic sensors arranged in a pre-defined pattern at various locations on a human body.
BACKGROUNDSensors for monitoring muscle signals for data collection are used with dynamic muscle function monitoring and evaluating systems. The details of such a system are described in a co-pending application filed on Nov. 5, 2011 concurrently with this application, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein. In this system, sensor data is directly fed into a point of detection (POD) device for conditioning, acquiring, and transmitting the sensor data. The sensors include, for example, but are not limited to, a surface EMG (sEMG) sensor, a motion detection sensor, and a functional capacity evaluator (FCE) such as a conventional FCE or the FCE disclosed herein. The POD device acquires continuous analog signals, conditions them, and then digitizes these signals These digital data are then transferred wirelessly to a computer system for processing using software.
The discovery of the presence of electromyographic (EMG) signals in the muscles of humans, and the change of these signals with muscle activity, spawned development of dedicated electronic devices and techniques for monitoring those signals for the evaluation of the muscles.
The size of a patient's muscle, range and dynamics of motion of the patient's muscle, the strength of a patient's muscles, and the electrical characteristics of the muscles provide information useful to a clinician making treatment decisions for a patient. The same information also may be useful to determine the existence, severity or cause of an injury and whether an injury is acute or chronic for purposes of determining questions of insurance or other liability.
The EMG signals given off by the muscles are relatively weak (on the order of millivolts) and it is important that the devices used to monitor and record the EMG signals do not introduce noise thereby making it extremely difficult to interpret the signals.
In the past, individual electrodes were placed at appropriate points on a patient's body and then an individual numbered wire was connected to each of the electrodes (up to 38). A previous system (e.g., U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 10/504,031 and 11/914,385, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference) ran cabling from the patient to the device where all signal conditioning occurred and because of the millivolt (0-5 mV) amplitude and cable lengths (˜6′) required, specialized, shielded, and heavy cabling was required. This was extremely expensive, time-consuming and prone to error.
SUMMARYIn order to overcome these issues, the present disclosure is directed to a mesh or web of sEMG sensors arranged in a manner to allow very quick and accurate placement of all electrodes.
The present application discloses a sensor web device for measuring EMG (electromyographic) signals. The device comprises a base sheet and a plurality of EMG sensors disposed on the base sheet, wherein the plurality of EMG sensors are arranged so that a desired EMG signal of a muscle of a human body is obtained by a corresponding one of the plurality of EMG sensors.
In the aforementioned device, the base sheet is made of a flexible material.
In the aforementioned device, the flexible material includes textile, fabric, or a plastic film.
In the aforementioned device, each of the plurality of EMG sensors includes an amplifier.
In the aforementioned device, each of the plurality of EMG sensors have an adhesive portion for adhering to the outside of human skin.
In the aforementioned device, the plurality of EMG sensors are detachably attached to the base sheet.
In the aforementioned device, the plurality of EMG sensors may be arranged to correspond to where muscles related to any of an ankle, carpal tunnel, hip and groin, lower extremities, front or rear lumbosacral region, cervical spine, a shoulder, or thoracic spine are located.
The system in the present disclosure is used for muscular testing by acquiring muscle contraction patterns and/or testing range-of-motion and functional capacity using surface EMG electrodes. The system can be specialized to test, for example, cervical, thoracic and lumbar spines as well as upper and lower extremities. The system can collect and display muscle function data and characteristics including tone, fatigue, as well as other activities that take place in the muscle. This system can be used in a number of arenas such as occupational and sports medicine, and rehabilitation clinics.
Additional advantages and novel features will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following and the accompanying drawings or may be learned from production or operation of the examples. The advantages of the present teachings may be realized and attained by practice or use of the methodologies, instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth by way of examples in order to provide a thorough understanding of the relevant teachings. However, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present teachings may be practiced without such details. In other instances, well known methods, procedures, components, and/or materials have been described at a relatively high-level, without detail, in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring aspects of the present teachings.
The sensor pads 30 are attached to a base sheet 20. The sensor pads are attached by any conventional means. In certain embodiments, the sensor pads 30 are laminated to the base sheet 20.
The sensor pads 30 contain a solid core gel that is very sticky and allow each sensor pad 30 to fasten itself to a patient. It is an electrically conductive material specifically designed to transmit sEMG signals. Any conventional material may be used for the solid core gel that is sufficient to adhere to the outer surface of human skin and conduct muscle activity. In some embodiments, a silver chloride based gel is used for the solid core gel.
Around the area of the sensor pads 30, the base sheet 20 has a tab 25 that protrudes outward from the base sheet to allow a user to easily grasp the base sheet for easy removal of the sensor web from the patient.
The sensor pads 30 have wires/traces 40 that serve as signal lines connected to them in order to transmit measured voltage signals from the sensor pad 30 to a POD. The wires 40 are also attached to the base sheet 20 by any conventional means. In some embodiments, the wires/traces 40 are attached to the base sheet by a laminate in the form of a flex circuit. The wires/traces 40 are connected to the main processing unit via a connecting region 50 (see
In another embodiment shown in
All of the sensor webs connect to the same sensor connector 70 (see
As shown in
The sensor connector 70 contains the instrumentation amplifier/first gain stage. This allows transmission of ‘normal’ voltage signals back to the POD rather than the ultralow (0-5 mV) sEMG signals. There are no electronics (other than signal traces) in or on the sensor webs as any components added there will greatly increase the manufacturing complexity and cost of each web, which are intended to be disposable.
The sensor connector 70 initial amplification stage includes an instrumentation amplifier which takes the muscle's differential pair, removes the common mode and outputs an amplified single-ended signal. This is then passed through a cable to the POD where the single-ended signals are further amplified and filtered through several Op-Amp stages. Once fully conditioned, all signals are then multiplexed and fed into an analog to digital converter (ADC).
Sensor webs are used to interface to and read surface EMG (sEMG) muscle activity. The sensor webs have pre-placed self-adhering electrodes that conform to the muscle locations dictated by each protocol.
In the embodiment shown in
The custom ankle sensor web 300 attaches sensor pads 30 to half of the 8 muscles listed in
As shown in
The sensor pads 30 are connected to the connecting area 350 via the wires 340. Two wires 340 each are used to connect each sensor pad 30. The connecting area 350 has 6 sensor ID pins 360, one of which is the ground ID pin 361, for connecting to a sensor connector 70 (see
In the embodiment shown in
The carpal tunnel sensor web 400 also evaluates, in conjunction with the cervical area web 800 (see
The carpal tunnel sensor web 400 attaches sensor pads 30 to half of the 24 muscles listed in
As shown in
The sensor pads 30 are connected to the connecting area 450 via the wires 440. Two wires 440 each are used to connect each sensor pad 30. The connecting area 450 has 6 sensor ID pins 460, one of which is the ground ID pin 461, for connecting to a sensor connector 70. Locating pin holes 456 are used to help align the sensor connector accurately to the carpal tunnel sensor web 400 via the connecting region 450.
In the embodiment shown in
As shown in
In
In the embodiment shown in
The lower extremities sensor web 600 attaches sensor pads 30 to half of the 8 muscles listed in
As shown in
The sensor pads 30 are connected to the connecting area 650 via the wires 640. Two wires 640 each are used to connect each sensor pad 30. The connecting area 650 has 6 sensor ID pins 660, one of which is the ground ID pin 661, for connecting to a sensor connector 70 (see
As shown in
The sensor pads 30 are connected to the connecting area 750 via the wires 740. Two wires 740 each are used to connect each sensor pad 30. The connecting area 750 has 6 sensor ID pins 760, one of which is the ground ID pin 761, for connecting to a sensor connector 70 (see
In the embodiment shown in
As shown in
The sensor pads 30 are connected to the connecting area 750a via the wires 740a. Two wires 740a each are used to connect each sensor pad 30. The rear lumbosacral sensor web 700a has two connecting areas 750a, each with 6 sensor ID pins 760a, one of which is the ground ID pin 761a, for connecting to two sensor connectors 70 (see
In the embodiment shown in
The cervical sensor web 800 attaches sensor pads 30 to the eight muscles listed in
As shown in
In
In the embodiment shown in
The shoulder sensor web 900 attaches sensor pads 30 to half of the 22 muscles listed in
As shown in
The sensor pads 30 are connected to the connecting area 950 via the wires 940. Two wires 940 each are used to connect each sensor pad 30. The connecting area 950 has 6 sensor ID pins 960, one of which is the ground ID pin 961, for connecting to a sensor connector 70 (see
In the embodiment shown in
The thoracic area sensor web 1000 attaches sensor pads 30 to the 12 muscles listed in
As shown in
The sensor pads 30 are connected to the connecting area 1050 via the wires 1040. Two wires 1040 each are used to connect each sensor pad 30. The connecting area 1050 has 6 sensor ID pins 1060, one of which is the ground ID pin 1061, for connecting to a sensor connector 70. Locating pin holes 1056 are used to help align the sensor connector accurately to the thoracic area sensor web 1000 via the connecting region 1050 (see
As discussed above, there is a dedicated sensor web for each muscle group (i.e. cervical, ankle, etc.), but there are many cases where certain sensor webs are reused. For example, the cervical web is used by itself to evaluate cervical muscle groups, but the same muscles (and sensor web) may also be used in the carpal tunnel and shoulder muscle groups. In addition, more than one sensor web may be utilized to evaluate a muscle group.
The system in the present disclosure is used for muscular testing by acquiring muscle contraction patterns and/or testing range-of-motion and functional capacity using surface EMG electrodes. The system can be specialized to test, for example, cervical, thoracic and lumbar spines as well as upper and lower extremities. The system can collect and display muscle function data and characteristics including tone, fatigue, as well as other activities that take place in the muscle. This system can be used in a number of arenas such as occupational and sports medicine, and rehabilitation clinics.
Although certain specific examples have been disclosed, it is noted that the present teachings may be embodied in other forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present examples described above are considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. The patent scope is indicated by the appended claims, and all changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.
Unless otherwise stated, all measurements, values, ratings, positions, magnitudes, sizes, and other specifications that are set forth in this specification, including in the claims that follow, are approximate, not exact. They are intended to have a reasonable range that is consistent with the functions to which they relate and with what is customary in the art to which they pertain.
The scope of protection is limited solely by the claims that now follow. That scope is intended and should be interpreted to be as broad as is consistent with the ordinary meaning of the language that is used in the claims when interpreted in light of this specification and the prosecution history that follows and to encompass all structural and functional equivalents. Notwithstanding, none of the claims are intended to embrace subject matter that fails to satisfy the requirement of Sections 101, 102, or 103 of the Patent Act, nor should they be interpreted in such a way. Any unintended embracement of such subject matter is hereby disclaimed.
Except as stated immediately above, nothing that has been stated or illustrated is intended or should be interpreted to cause a dedication of any component, step, feature, object, benefit, advantage, or equivalent to the public, regardless of whether it is or is not recited in the claims.
It will be understood that the terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions with respect to their corresponding respective areas of inquiry and study except where specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein. Relational terms such as first and second and the like may be used solely to distinguish one entity or action from another without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. An element proceeded by “a” or “an” does not, without further constraints, preclude the existence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises the element.
The Abstract of the Disclosure is provided to allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, in the foregoing Detailed Description, it can be seen that various features are grouped together in various embodiments for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separately claimed subject matter.
Claims
1. A sensor web device for measuring EMG (electromyographic) signals, comprising:
- a base sheet; and
- a plurality of EMG sensors disposed on the base sheet, wherein
- the plurality of EMG sensors in the base sheet are arranged so that a desired EMG signal of a muscle in a human body is obtained by a corresponding one of the plurality of EMG sensors.
2. The sensor web of claim 1, wherein the base sheet is made of a flexible material.
3. The sensor web of claim 2, wherein the flexible material include a textile, a fabric, or a plastic film.
4. The sensor web of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of EMG sensors includes an amplifier.
5. The sensor web of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of EMG sensors have an adhesive portion for removably adhering to the outside surface of human skin.
6. The sensor web of claim 1, wherein locations of the plurality of EMG sensors correspond to where muscles related to a thoracic area are located.
7. The sensor web of claim 1, wherein locations of the plurality of EMG sensors correspond to where muscles related to an ankle are located.
8. The sensor web of claim 1, wherein locations of the plurality of EMG sensors correspond to where muscles related to a carpal tunnel area are located.
9. The sensor web of claim 1, wherein locations of the plurality of EMG sensors correspond to where muscles related to a hip and groin are located.
10. The sensor web of claim 1, wherein locations of the plurality of EMG sensors correspond to where muscles related to lower extremities are located.
11. The sensor web of claim 1, wherein locations of the plurality of EMG sensors correspond to where muscles related to a lumbosacral front area are located.
12. The sensor web of claim 1, wherein locations of the plurality of EMG sensors correspond to where muscles related to a lumbosacral rear area are located.
13. The sensor web of claim 1, wherein locations of the plurality of EMG sensors correspond to where muscles related to a cervical area are located.
14. The sensor web of claim 1, wherein locations of the plurality of EMG sensors correspond to where muscles related to a shoulder are located.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 4, 2011
Publication Date: Jun 7, 2012
Inventors: Charles Dean CYPHERY (Albuquerque, NM), Marco N. Vitiello (Miami, FL)
Application Number: 13/289,793
International Classification: A61B 5/0492 (20060101);