Acoustic myography
First Claim
1. A cybernetic system comprising:
- acoustic transducer means adapted to be coupled to a living being for producing an electric signal responsive to a myoacoustic signal produced by said living being, said myoacoustic signal being responsive to contraction and relaxation states of skeletal muscles of said living being; and
drive means for exerting a mechanical force responsive to said electric signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Acoustic signals generated by muscles during contraction are used, in accordance with the invention, to generate signals responsive to muscle activity, measure muscle fatigue and excitation-contraction decoupling, provide a biofeedback response, control cybernetic systems, and control prosthetic devices. Such myoacoustic signals, when compared against myoelectric signals permit the extent of contraction of muscles to be compared against the excitation thereto. Moreover, a plurality of such myoacoustic signals can be compared synchronously against one another in a multichanneled recorder to analyse dynamic muscle problems, such as situations which result in poor posture and improper gait. These myoacoustic signals can also be used to drive prosthetic devices which are currently driven by myoelectric signals. It is an advantage of the present invention that myoacoustic signals can be analyzed using circuitry which is currently available and in use for analyzing myoelectric signals.
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Citations
7 Claims
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1. A cybernetic system comprising:
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acoustic transducer means adapted to be coupled to a living being for producing an electric signal responsive to a myoacoustic signal produced by said living being, said myoacoustic signal being responsive to contraction and relaxation states of skeletal muscles of said living being; and drive means for exerting a mechanical force responsive to said electric signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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Specification