Device for Measuring and Analyzing Electromyography signals

• US 20130289434A1
• Filed: 02/04/2013
• Published: 10/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Chi Mei Foundation Hospital, National Chiao Tung University (Government of The Republic of China)
• Original Assignee: National Chiao Tung University (Government of The Republic of China)
• Inventors: CHOU, Willy, Lin, Bor-Shyh, Ou, Chien-Zhi
• Application Number:
  US13/757,922
• Publication Number:
  US 20130289434A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/546
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0004 characterised by the type of physiological signal transmitted
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/392 Detecting gastrointestinal contractions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/394 specially adapted for electroglottography or electropalatography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/397 Analysis of electromyograms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4205 Evaluating swallowing

Abstract

A device is for measuring and analyzing electromyography signals obtained from a target body part that is divided into an unhealthy-side muscle group and a healthy-side muscle group, and includes an unhealthy-side measuring electrode unit to be disposed on the unhealthy-side muscle group for measuring an electromyography signal therefrom so as to generate unhealthy-side measured data, a healthy-side measuring electrode unit to be disposed on the healthy-side muscle group for measuring an electromyography signal therefrom so as to generate healthy-side measured data, and a control unit determining a correlation between the unhealthy-side measured data and the healthy-side measured data.

Claims

1. A device for measuring and analyzing electromyography signals obtained from a target body part that is divided into an unhealthy-side muscle group and a healthy-side muscle group, said device comprising:

an unhealthy-side measuring electrode unit adapted to be disposed on the unhealthy-side muscle group and for measuring an electromyography signal from the unhealthy-side muscle group so as to generate unhealthy-side measured data;

a healthy-side measuring electrode unit adapted to be disposed on the healthy-side muscle group and for measuring an electromyography signal from the healthy-side muscle group so as to generate healthy-side measured data; and

a control unit connected electrically to said unhealthy-side measuring electrode unit and said healthy-side measuring electrode, and determining a correlation between the unhealthy-side measured data and the healthy-side measured data.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, the unhealthy-side muscle group including unhealthy-side orbicularis oris (OO) muscles, the healthy-side muscle group including healthy-side orbicularis oris (OO) muscles, wherein:

said unhealthy-side measuring electrode unit includes a first unhealthy-side measuring electrode that is to be disposed on the unhealthy-side OO muscles and that is for measuring an electromyography signal thereof so as to generate first unhealthy-side measured sub-data of the unhealthy-side measured data;

said healthy-side measuring electrode unit includes a first healthy-side measuring electrode that is to be disposed on the healthy-side OO muscles and that is for measuring an electromyography signal thereof so as to generate first healthy-side measured sub-data of the healthy-side measured data; and

said control unit is configured to perform integration operations on the first unhealthy-side measured sub-data and the first healthy-side measured sub-data so as to obtain respectively first unhealthy-side integrated data and first healthy-side integrated data, and is further configured to determine a correlation between the first unhealthy-side integrated data and the first healthy-side integrated data.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1, the unhealthy-side muscle group including unhealthy-side masseter (MS) muscles, the healthy-side muscle group including healthy-side masseter (MS) muscles, wherein:

said unhealthy-side measuring electrode unit includes a second unhealthy-side measuring electrode that is to be disposed on the unhealthy-side MS muscles and that is for measuring an electromyography signal thereof so as to generate second unhealthy-side measured sub-data of the unhealthy-side measured data;

said healthy-side measuring electrode unit includes a second healthy-side measuring electrode that is to be disposed on the healthy-side MS muscles and that is for measuring an electromyography signal thereof so as to generate second healthy-side measured sub-data of the healthy-side measured data; and

said control unit is configured to perform integration operations on the second unhealthy-side measured sub-data and the second healthy-side measured sub-data so as to obtain respectively second unhealthy-side integrated data and second healthy-side integrated data, and is further configured to determine a correlation between the second unhealthy-side integrated data and the second healthy-side integrated data.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1, the unhealthy-side muscle group including unhealthy-side submental (SUB) muscles, the healthy-side muscle group including healthy-side submental (SUB) muscles, wherein:

said unhealthy-side measuring electrode unit includes a third unhealthy-side measuring electrode that is to be disposed on the unhealthy-side SUB muscles and that is for measuring an electromyography signal thereof so as to generate third unhealthy-side measured sub-data of the unhealthy-side measured data;

said healthy-side measuring electrode unit includes a third healthy-side measuring electrode that is to be disposed on the healthy-side SUB muscles and that is for measuring an electromyography signal thereof so as to generate third healthy-side measured sub-data of the healthy-side measured data; and

said control unit is configured to perform integration operations on the third unhealthy-side measured sub-data and the third healthy-side measured sub-data so as to obtain respectively third unhealthy-side integrated data and third healthy-side integrated data, and is further configured to determine a correlation between the third unhealthy-side integrated data and the third healthy-side integrated data.

5. The device as claimed in claim 1, the unhealthy-side muscle group including unhealthy-side laryngeal strap (LS) muscles, the healthy-side muscle group including healthy-side laryngeal strap (LS) muscles, wherein:

said unhealthy-side measuring electrode unit includes a fourth unhealthy-side measuring electrode than is to be disposed on the unhealthy-side LS muscles and that is for measuring an electromyography signal thereof so as to generate fourth unhealthy-side measured sub-data of the unhealthy-side measured data;

said healthy-side measuring electrode unit includes a fourth healthy-side measuring electrode that is to be disposed on the healthy-side LS muscles and that is for measuring an electromyography signal thereof so as to generate fourth healthy-side measured sub-data of the healthy-side measured data; and

said control unit is configured to perform integration operations on the fourth unhealthy-side measured sub-data and the fourth healthy-side measured sub-data so as to obtain respectively fourth unhealthy-side integrated data and fourth healthy-side integrated data, and is further configured to determine a correlation between the fourth unhealthy-side integrated data and the fourth healthy-side integrated data.

6. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said unhealthy-side measuring electrode unit includes a first unhealthy-side measuring electrode, a second unhealthy-side measuring electrode and a third unhealthy-side measuring electrode, each of which is for generating a respective one of first unhealthy-side measured sub-data, second unhealthy-side measured sub-data and third unhealthy-side measured sub-data of the unhealthy-side measured data;

said healthy-side measuring electrode unit includes a first healthy-side measuring electrode, a second healthy-side measuring electrode and a third healthy-side measuring electrode, each of which is for generating a respective one of first healthy-side measured sub-data, second healthy-side measured sub-data and third healthy-side measured sub-data of the healthy-side measured data; and

said control unit is configured to

calculate a mean of each of the first unhealthy-side measured sub-data, the second unhealthy-side measured sub-data, the third unhealthy-side measured sub-data, the first healthy-side measured sub-data, the second healthy-side measured sub-data and the third healthy-side measured sub-data, so as to generate a respective one of a first unhealthy-side measured mean, a second, unhealthy-side measured mean, a third unhealthy-side measured mean, a first healthy-side measured mean, a second healthy-side measured mean and a third healthy-side measured mean, and

determine a correlation between a set of the first unhealthy-side measured mean, the second unhealthy-side measured mean and the third unhealthy-side measured mean, and a set of the first healthy-side measured mean, the second healthy-side measured mean and the third healthy-side measured mean.

7. The device as claimed in claim 6, the unhealthy-side muscle group including unhealthy-side orbicularis oris (OO) muscles, unhealthy-side masseter (MS) muscles, unhealthy-side submental (SUB) muscles and unhealthy-side laryngeal strap (LS) muscles, the healthy-side muscle group including healthy-side orbicularis oris (OO) muscles, healthy-side masseter (MS) muscles, healthy-side submental (SUB) muscles and healthy-side laryngeal strap (LS) muscles, wherein:

each of said first unhealthy-side measuring electrode, said second unhealthy-side measuring electrode, said third unhealthy-side measuring electrode, said first healthy-side measuring electrode, said second healthy-side measuring electrode and said third healthy-side measuring electrode is to be disposed on one of

a respective one of the unhealthy-side OO muscles, the unhealthy-side MS muscles, the unhealthy-side SUB muscles, the healthy-side OO muscles, the healthy-side MS muscles and the healthy-side SUB muscles,

a respective one of the unhealthy-side OO muscles, the unhealthy-side MS muscles, the unhealthy-side LS muscles, the healthy-side OO muscles, the healthy-side MS muscles and the healthy-side LS muscles, and

a respective one of the unhealthy-side LS muscles, the unhealthy-side MS muscles, the unhealthy-side SUB muscles, the healthy-side LS muscles, the healthy-side MS muscles and the healthy-side SUB muscles.

8. The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein:

said unhealthy-side measuring electrode unit further includes a fourth unhealthy-side measuring electrode, which is for generating fourth unhealthy-side measured sub-data of the unhealthy-side measured data;

said healthy-side measuring electrode unit further includes a fourth healthy-side measuring electrode, which is for generating fourth healthy-side measured sub-data of the healthy-side measured data; and

said control unit is further configured to

calculate a mean of each of the fourth unhealthy-side measured sub-data and the fourth healthy-side measured sub-data, so as to generate a respective one of a fourth unhealthy-side measured mean and a fourth healthy-side measured mean, and

determine a correlation between a set of the first unhealthy-side measured mean, the second unhealthy-side measured mean, the third unhealthy-side measured mean and the fourth unhealthy-side measured mean, and a set of the first healthy-side measured mean, the second healthy-side measured mean, the third healthy-side measured mean and the fourth healthy-side measured mean.

9. The device as claimed in claim 8, the unhealthy-side muscle group including unhealthy-side orbicularis oris (OO) muscles, unhealthy-side masseter (MS) muscles, unhealthy-side submental (SUB) muscles and unhealthy-side laryngeal strap (LS) muscles, the healthy-side muscle group including healthy-side orbicularis oris (OO) muscles, healthy-side masseter (MS) muscles, healthy-side submental (SUB) muscles and healthy-side laryngeal strap (LS) muscles, wherein:

each of said first unhealthy-side measuring electrode, said second unhealthy-side measuring electrode, said third unhealthy-side measuring electrode, said fourth unhealthy-side measuring electrode, said first healthy-side measuring electrode, said second healthy-side measuring electrode, said third healthy-side measuring electrode and said fourth healthy-side measuring electrode is to be disposed on a respective one of the unhealthy-side OO muscles, she unhealthy-side MS muscles, the unhealthy-side SUB muscles, the unhealthy-side LS muscles, the healthy-side OO muscles, the healthy-side MS muscles, the healthy-side SUB muscles and the healthy-side LS muscles.

10. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said unhealthy-side measuring electrode unit includes a first unhealthy-side measuring electrode, a second unhealthy-side measuring electrode and a third unhealthy-side measuring electrode, each of which is for generating a respective one of first unhealthy-side measured sub-data, second unhealthy-side measured sub-data and third unhealthy-side measured sub-data of the unhealthy-side measured data;

said healthy-side measuring electrode unit includes a first healthy-side measuring electrode, a second healthy-side measuring electrode and a third healthy-side measuring electrode, each of which is for generating a respective one of first healthy-side measured sub-data, second healthy-side measured sub-data and third healthy-side measured sub-data of the healthy-side measured data; and

said control unit is configured to

generate a first unhealthy-side swallow duration value, a second unhealthy-side swallow duration value, a third unhealthy-side swallow duration value, a first healthy-side swallow duration value, a second healthy-side swallow duration value and a third healthy-side swallow duration value, each of which is associated with duration of muscle contraction due to swallowing behavior, according to the first unhealthy-side measured sub-data, the second unhealthy-side measured sub-data, the third unhealthy-side measured sub-data, the first healthy-side measured sub-data, the second healthy-side measured sub-data and the third healthy-side measured sub-data, respectively, and

determine a correlation between a set of the first unhealthy-side swallow duration value, the second unhealthy-side swallow duration value and the third unhealthy-side swallow duration value, and a set of the first healthy-side swallow duration value, the second healthy-side swallow duration value and the third healthy-side swallow duration value.

11. The device as claimed in claim 10, the unhealthy-side muscle group including unhealthy-side orbicularis oris (OO) muscles, unhealthy-side masseter (MS) muscles, unhealthy-side submental (SUB) muscles and unhealthy-side laryngeal strap (LS) muscles, the healthy-side muscle group including healthy-side orbicularis oris (OO) muscles, healthy-side masseter (MS) muscles, healthy-side submental (SUB) muscles and healthy-side laryngeal strap (LS) muscles, wherein:

each of said first unhealthy-side measuring electrode, said second unhealthy-side measuring electrode, said third unhealthy-side measuring electrode, said first healthy-side measuring electrode, said second healthy-side measuring electrode and said third healthy-side measuring electrode is to be disposed on one of

a respective one of the unhealthy-side OO muscles, the unhealthy-side MS muscles, the unhealthy-side SUB muscles, the healthy-side OO muscles, the healthy-side MS muscles and the healthy-side SUB muscles,

a respective one of the unhealthy-side OO muscles, the unhealthy-side MS muscles, the unhealthy-side LS muscles, the healthy-side OO muscles, the healthy-side MS muscles and the healthy-side LS muscles, and

a respective one of the unhealthy-side LS muscles, the unhealthy-side MS muscles, the unhealthy-side SUB muscles, the healthy-side LS muscles, the healthy-side MS muscles and the healthy-side SUB muscles.

12. The device as claimed in claim 10, wherein:

said unhealthy-side measuring electrode unit further includes a fourth unhealthy-side measuring electrode, which is for generating fourth unhealthy-side measured sub-data of the unhealthy-side measured data;

said healthy-side measuring electrode unit further includes a fourth healthy-side measuring electrode, which is for generating fourth healthy-side measured sub-data of the healthy-side measured data; and

said control unit is further configured to

generate a fourth unhealthy-side swallow duration value and a fourth healthy-side swallow duration value, each of which is associated with duration of muscle contraction due to swallowing behavior, according to the fourth unhealthy-side measured sub-data and the fourth healthy-side measured sub-data, respectively, and

determine a correlation between a set of the first unhealthy-side swallow duration value, the second unhealthy-side swallow duration value, the third unhealthy-side swallow duration value and the fourth unhealthy-side swallow duration value, and a set of the first healthy-side swallow duration value, the second healthy-side swallow duration value, the third healthy-side swallow duration value, and the fourth healthy-side swallow duration value.

13. The device as claimed in claim 12, the unhealthy-side muscle group including unhealthy-side orbicularis oris (OO) muscles, unhealthy-side masseter (MS) muscles, unhealthy-side submental (SUB) muscles and unhealthy-side laryngeal strap (LB) muscles, the healthy-side muscle group including healthy-side orbicularis oris (OO) muscles, healthy-side masseter (MS) muscles, healthy-side submental (SUB) muscles and healthy-side laryngeal strap (LS) muscles, wherein:

each of said first unhealthy-side measuring electrode, said second unhealthy-side measuring electrode, said third unhealthy-side measuring electrode, said fourth unhealthy-side measuring electrode, said first healthy-side measuring electrode, said second healthy-side measuring electrode, said third healthy-side measuring electrode and said fourth healthy-side measuring electrode is to be disposed on a respective one of the unhealthy-side OO muscles, the unhealthy-side MS muscles, the unhealthy-side SUB muscles, the unhealthy-side LS muscles, the healthy-side OO muscles, the healthy-side MS muscles, the healthy-side SUB muscles and the healthy-side LS muscles.

14. The device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a housing for accommodating said control unit.

15. The device as claimed in claim 14, wherein said housing is to be removably disposed on an external portable electronic device, and said control unit is configured for communicating with the external portable electronic device in a wired manner.

16. The device as claimed in claim 14, wherein said housing is to be removably disposed on an external portable electronic device, and said control unit is configured for communicating with the external portable electronic device in a wireless manner.

17. The device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a wireless communication unit coupled to said control unit for communicating wirelessly with an external portable electronic device.