Prosthetics electrode array diagnostic system
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for detecting myoelectric signals from a muscle which is to be coupled to a myoelectric prosthetic device, said device having a device electrode pair which is coupled to the muscle, the apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of electrode pairs arranged in an array, wherein the distance between the electrodes in each electrode pair is the same as the distance between the electrodes in the device electrode pair, wherein the electrode pairs are sufficient in number and are sufficiently spaced apart to cover a wide area of the muscle so that the muscle can be tested without it being necessary to reposition the electrode pairs;
circuitry coupled to the electrode pairs for sampling signals from a plurality of the electrode pairs during a muscle contraction and for providing output signals for each electrode pair during the contraction; and
a display for displaying the output signals for a plurality of the electrode pairs at the same time.
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Abstract
An apparatus for testing a muscle of a patient who is fitted with a myoelectric prosthetic device. The apparatus has an array of electrodes for testing the muscle over a wide area during a short period of time. The electric signals from the contraction are amplified, filtered, and converted to a digital signal. The digital signals are sent to a computer which causes a display to show one or more of the signals. A prosthetist uses the results to determine how to place the electrode in the device.
13 Citations
26 Claims
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1. An apparatus for detecting myoelectric signals from a muscle which is to be coupled to a myoelectric prosthetic device, said device having a device electrode pair which is coupled to the muscle, the apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of electrode pairs arranged in an array, wherein the distance between the electrodes in each electrode pair is the same as the distance between the electrodes in the device electrode pair, wherein the electrode pairs are sufficient in number and are sufficiently spaced apart to cover a wide area of the muscle so that the muscle can be tested without it being necessary to reposition the electrode pairs; circuitry coupled to the electrode pairs for sampling signals from a plurality of the electrode pairs during a muscle contraction and for providing output signals for each electrode pair during the contraction; and a display for displaying the output signals for a plurality of the electrode pairs at the same time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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7. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising:
means for selecting a display mode from among a plurality of modes, the modes including; a first mode for displaying an average over time for each electrode pair, and a second mode for displaying each sample for each electrode pair, so that all samples for each electrode pair are visible.
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15. An apparatus comprising:
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a first electrode pair for positioning over a first muscle; a second electrode pair for positioning over a second muscle; circuitry coupled to the first and second electrode pairs for sampling signals from the first and second electrode pairs during muscle contractions and for providing respective first and second output signals, the circuitry including means for determining a difference between the first and second output signals and for providing a difference signal, the difference signal indicating a simultaneous difference in the myoelectric signals for the first and second muscles; and a display for displaying an output signal indicating the difference in the myoelectric signals for the first and second muscles. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. An apparatus for measuring myoelectric signals from a muscle of a person to determine an optimal position for positioning a myoelectrode for a prosthetic device, the apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of electrode pairs positioned over the muscle of the person; circuitry for receiving input signals from each of the electrode pairs during first and second muscle contractions and for providing respective output signals; memory for storing magnitude signals derived from the output signals for the first muscle contraction; and a display for displaying, at the same time, information derived from the stored magnitude signals from the first contraction and the output signals for the second contraction so that the first and second contractions can be compared. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. An apparatus for measuring myoelectric signals from a muscle of a person to determine an optimal position for a myoelectrode for a prosthetic device, the apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of electrode pairs positioned over the muscle; circuitry for receiving input signals indicative of myoelectric activity of the muscle from each of the electrode pairs when the person contracts the muscle, and for providing a signal indicating a relative magnitude of myoelectric activity over time; and a display, coupled to the circuitry, for displaying, for at least one electrode pair, an output derived from the signal indicating the relative magnitude of myoelectric activity versus time. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A portable apparatus for detecting myoelectric signals from a muscle to determine an optimal location to position a myoelectrode for a prosthetic device, the apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of electrode pairs arranged in a two-dimensional array, wherein the electrode pairs are sufficient in number and are sufficiently spaced apart to cover a wide area of the muscle so that the muscle can be tested without it being necessary to repositioning the array of electrode pairs, the electrode pairs being mounted on a single, easily attachable and removable elastic band, the electrodes being oriented in columns which are in a fixed spaced relation in a longitudinal direction, and wherein the columns are flexibly arranged in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction; circuitry coupled to the electrode pairs for sampling signals from a plurality of the electrode pairs during a muscle contraction and for providing output signals for each electrode pair during the muscle contraction; and a display for displaying output signals for a plurality of electrode pairs at the same time, the display providing a plurality of display modes for comparing relative magnitudes of the signals from the electrode pairs to determine a preferred location for attaching a myoelectrode of a prosthetic device, wherein the electrode pairs, circuitry, and display are combined in a portable kit. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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Specification