Differential/ratiometric electromyographic bio-feedback monitor

• US 3,916,876 A
• Filed: 06/13/1974
• Issued: 11/04/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: James Albert Freeman
• Original Assignee: James Albert Freeman
• Inventors: Freeman, James Albert
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaudet, Richard A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cohen, Lee S.
• Application Number:
  US05/478,915
• Time in Patent Office: 509 Days
• Field of Search: 128/2.1R,2.1M,2.1Z,2S,2.1B 23/379
• US Class Current: 600/546
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2505/09 Rehabilitation or training
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1107 Measuring contraction of parts of the body, e.g. organ, muscle apparatus for measuring work or force in general G01L
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/389 Electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/905 Feedback to patient of biological signal other than brain electric signal

Abstract

A physiotherapy device for human beings having two parallel measuring channels for indicating the muscle tension in two selected muscles. The device computes and displays the absolute value of each measurement of muscle tension, the arithmetic difference between each measurement and the ratio between each measurement. In operation, the patient observes his own muscle tension readings and responds accordingly in a biological feedback.

Claims

1. Apparatus for Performing biofeedback physical therapy on a human being, comprising means for measuring the relative tension in a first muscle of the human being, means for measuring simultaneously therewith the relative tension in a second muscle of the same human being, means for independently amplifying the tension measurements of the first and second muscles, means for indicating to the human being in real time the instantaneous value of the tension measurements of the first and second muscles so that the human being can control the muscles being measured in response thereto, said indicating means incuding means for computing an instantaneous ratiometric value from the two tension measurements and means for displaying in real time said ratiometric value to the human being being measured.

2. Apparatus for performing biofeedback physical therapy on a human being, comprising means for measuring the relative tension in a first muscle of the human being, means for measuring simultaneously therewith the relative tension in a second muscle of the same human being, means for independently amplifying the tension measurements of the first and second muscles, means for indicating to the human being in real time the instantaneous value of the tension measurements of the first and second muscles so that the human being can control the muscles being measured in response thereto, said indicating means including means for computing an instantaneous arithmetic difference value from the two tension measurements and means for displaying in real time said value to the human being being measured.

3. Apparatus for performing biofeedback physical therapy on a human being, comprising means for measuring the relative tension in a first muscle of the human being, means for measuring simultaneously therewith the relative tension in a second muscle of the same human being, means for independently amplifying the tension measurements of the first and second muscles, means for indicating to the human being in real time the instantaneous value of the tension measurements of the first and second muscles so that the human being can control the muscles being measured in response thereto, said indicating means including means for computing both a ratiometric value and an arithmetic difference value from the two tension measurements and means for displaying in real time simultaneously said values to the human being being measured.

4. Apparatus for conducting biofeedback physical therapy on human beings by measuring the relative tension of muscles, comprising:

a. two sets of electrodes, each electrode set being attachable on a human being to provide an output signal indicating the tension of a separate muscle;

b. two high gain amplifiers, each amplifier connected to one set of electrodes for amplifying the output signal therefrom;

c. two potentiometers, each connected to one of the high gain amplifiers for adjusting the output signal therefrom;

d. two rectifiers, each connected to one of the potentiometers for rectifying the output signal therefrom;

e. a differential amplifier connected to the rectifiers and generating an output signal proportional to the arithmetic difference between the two signals indicating muscle tension;

f. an electronic divider connected to the rectifiers and generating an output signal proportional to the quotient of the two signals indicating muscle tension; and

g. indicator means observable by the human being being measured and selectably connectable to the output of the differential amplifier and to the output of the electronic divider for displaying in real time the instantaneous value of the amount of interaction between the separate muscles.

5. Apparatus of claim 4 wherein the indicator means includes two indicators, one indicator connected to the output of the differential amplifier and the other indicator connected to the output of the electronic divider, permitting the human being being measured to observe simultaneously the amount of interactIon between the two muscles displayed on the two indicators.

6. Apparatus for conducting biofeedback physical therapy on human beings by measuring the relative tension of muscles comprising:

a. two sets of electrodes, each electrode set being attachable on a human being to provide an output signal indicating the tension of a separate muscle;

b. two high gain amplifiers, each amplifier connected to one set of electrodes for amplifying the output signal therefrom;

c. two potentiometers, each connected to one of the high gain amplifiers for adjusting the output signal therefrom;

d. two rectifiers, each connected to one of the potentiometers for rectifying the output signal therefrom;

e. two absolute value indicators, each connected to one of the rectifiers for displaying to the human being being measured the absolute value of the muscle tension signal;

f. a differential amplifier connected to the rectifiers and generating an output signal proportional to the arithmetic difference between the two signals indicating muscle tension; and

g. a difference indicator observable by the human being being measured and connected to the output of the differential amplifier for displaying in real time the instantaneous value of the arithmetic difference between the values of the two muscle tension signals.

7. Apparatus for conducting biofeedback physical therapy on human beings by measuring the relative tension of muscles, comprising:

a. two sets of electrodes, each electrode set being attachable on a human being to provide an output signal indicating the tension of a separate muscle;

b. two high gain amplifiers, each amplifier connected to one set of electrodes for amplifying the output signal therefrom;

c. two potentiometers, each connected to one of the high gain amplifiers for adjusting the output signal therefrom;

d. two rectifiers, each connected to one of the potentiometers for rectifying the output signal therefrom;

e. two absolute value indicators, each connected to one of the rectifiers for displaying to the human being being measured the absolute value of the muscle tension signal;

f. an electronic divider connected to the rectifiers and generating an output signal proportional to the quotient of the two signals indicating muscle tension; and

g. a ratiometric indicator observable by the human being being measured and connected to the output of the electronic divider for displaying in real time the instantaneous value of the quotient of the two values of the two muscle tension signals.

8. Method of performing biofeedback physical therapy on a human being comprising the steps of measuring the relative tension in a first muscle of the human being, measuring simultaneously therewith the relative tension in a second muscle of the same human being, independently amplifying the tension measurements of the first and second muscles, indicating to the human being in real time the instantaneous value of the tension measurements of the first and second muscles so that the human being can control the muscles being measured in response thereto, and further in which said step of indicating the tension measurements includes computing an instantaneous ratiometric value from the two tension measurements and displaying in real time said ratiometric value to the human being being measured.

9. Method of performing biofeedback physical therapy on a human being, comprising the steps of measuring the relative tension in a first muscle of the human being, measuring simultaneously therewith the relative tension in a second muscle of the same human being, independently amplifying the tension measurements of the first and second muscles, indicating to the human being in real time the instantaneous value of the tension measurements of the first and second muscles so that the human being can control the muscles being measured in response thereto, and further in which said step of indicating the tension measurements Includes computing an instantaneous arithmetic difference value from the two tension measurements and displaying in real time said value to the human being being measured.

10. Method of performing biofeedback physical therapy on a human being comprising the steps of measuring the relative tension in a first muscle of the human being, measuring simultaneously therewith the relative tension in a second muscle of the same human being, independently amplifying the tension measurements of the first and second muscles, indicating to the human being in real time the instantaneous value of the tension measurements of the first and second muscles so that the human being can control the muscles being measured in response thereto, and further in which said step of indicating the tension measurements includes computing both a ratiometric value and an arithmetic difference value from the top tension measurements and displaying in real time simultaneously said values to the human being being measured.