Athletic Glove Providing Feedback Regarding Grip to a Wearer

• US 20140309547A1
• Filed: 04/12/2013
• Published: 10/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michael Linderman
• Original Assignee: Michael Linderman
• Inventors: Linderman, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 9,192,335 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/546
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2505/09 Rehabilitation or training
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/225 of the fingers, e.g. by monitoring hand-grip force
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/296 for electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6806 Gloves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6825 Hand
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0038 Sports

Abstract

There is provided a glove for recording and displaying the critical set of electromyography (EMG) signals representing consecutive hand movements. Said glove is for measuring EMG signals in a hand comprising a glove body, and/or a plurality of EMG electrodes disposed at predetermined locations on an inner surface of the glove body, configured to sense a magnitude of a plurality of EMG signals over a period of time, a data acquisition circuit coupled to the plurality of EMG electrodes, configured to receive at least one of the plurality of EMG signals and to generate an output proportional to the magnitude of the at least one of the plurality of EMG signals sensed by at least one of the plurality of EMG electrodes, and a user feedback module located on an external surface of the glove body for providing a representation of the output of the data acquisition circuit.

Claims

1. A glove for measuring electromyography (EMG) signals in a hand comprising:

a glove body;

a plurality of EMG electrodes disposed at predetermined locations on an inner surface of said glove body, configured to sense a magnitude of a plurality of EMG signals over a period of time, wherein said EMG electrodes are disposed at locations targeted to specific muscle locations on a hand of a user when said glove body is worn;

a data acquisition circuit coupled to said plurality of EMG electrodes, configured to receive at least one of said plurality of EMG signals and to generate an output proportional to said magnitude of said at least one of said plurality of EMG signals sensed by at least one of said plurality of EMG electrodes; and

a user feedback module located on an external surface of said glove body for providing a representation of said output of said data acquisition circuit.

2. The glove of claim 1 wherein said plurality of EMG electrodes comprise at least two pairs of EMG electrodes, each pair coupled to two inputs of a single differential amplifier.

3. The glove of claim 2, wherein a first EMG electrode of a said pair of EMG electrodes coupled to a said single differential amplifier comprises an active electrode and is configured to sense EMG signals from a muscle of the hand, and a second EMG electrode of said pair of EMG electrodes coupled to said single differential amplifier comprises a reference electrode and is configured to sense EMG signals from the are of a bone of the hand or a wrist.

4. The glove of claim 3, wherein, when said glove body is worn by a user, said first EMG electrode is configured to sense EMG signals from the Opponens pollicis muscle and the Abductor pollicis brevis muscle and said second EMG electrode is configured to sense EMG signals from the area of the radius bone.

5. The glove of claim 3, wherein when said glove body is worn by a user, said first EMG electrode is configured to sense EMG signals from the First dorsal interosseus muscle and the second EMG electrode is configured to sense EMG signals from the Dorsum area.

6. The glove of claim 3, wherein when said glove body is worn by a user, said first EMG electrode is configured to sense EMG signals from the Second dorsal interosseus muscle and the second EMG electrode is configured to sense EMG signals from the Dorsum area.

7. The glove of claim 3, wherein when said glove body is worn by a user, said first EMG electrode is configured to sense EMG signals from the Abductor digiti minimi brevis muscle and the second EMG electrode is configured to sense EMG signals from the area of the Ulnar bone.

8. The glove of claim 1, also comprising a ground electrode, wherein said plurality of EMG electrodes are each connected to said ground electrode.

9. The glove of claim 1, wherein said data acquisition circuit is configured to receive a said EMG signal from at least one of said plurality of EMG electrodes at at least two time points during a golf swing.

10. The glove of claim 1, also comprising a wireless transmitter for transmitting at least one of said EMG signals to a location remote from said glove body.

21. The glove of claim 1, also comprising a local memory device for recording at least one of said received EMG signals, wherein said local memory device is removable from said glove for extraction of said recorded signals.

11. A method for measuring electromyography (EMG) signals in the hand comprising:

placing a plurality of EMG electrodes at predetermined locations on an inner surface of a glove body;

placing said glove body on a hand of a user, such that said EMG electrodes are disposed at locations targeted to specific muscle locations on said hand and each of said EMG electrodes senses a magnitude of an EMG signal over time;

receiving at least one EMG signal from at least one of said plurality of EMG electrodes;

generating an output proportional to a magnitude of said received at least one EMG signal; and

providing a representation of said output to said user on an external surface of said glove body.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said placing a plurality of EMG electrodes comprises placing at least two pairs of EMG electrodes on said inner surface of said glove body, the method also comprising coupling each said pair of EMG electrodes to two inputs of a single differential amplifier.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said placing a plurality of EMG electrodes comprises placing a first EMG electrode of a said pair of EMG electrodes to sense EMG signals from a muscle of the hand, and placing a second EMG electrode of said pair of EMG electrodes to sense EMG signals from the area of a bone of the hand.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said placing a plurality of EMG electrodes comprises placing said first EMG electrode above the Opponens pollicis muscle and the Abductor pollicis brevis muscle and placing said second EMG electrode above the radius bone.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said placing a plurality of EMG electrodes comprises placing above the First dorsal interosseus muscle and placing the second EMG electrode above the Dorsum area.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein said placing a plurality of EMG electrodes comprises placing said first EMG electrode above the Second dorsal interosseus muscle and placing the second EMG electrode above the Dorsum area.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein said placing a plurality of EMG electrodes comprises placing said first EMG electrode above the Abductor digiti minimi brevis muscle and placing the second EMG electrode above the Ulnar bone.

18. The method of claim 11, also comprising connecting each of said plurality of EMG electrodes to a ground electrode.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein said receiving further comprises receiving EMG signals from at least one of said plurality of EMG electrodes at least two time points during a golf swing, and wherein said providing a representation comprises providing to said user a representation of the pressure applied to a golf club held by the glove at said at least two time points during said golf swing.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said at least two time points during said golf swing include time points during at least two of the following actions:

raising of the golf club;

lowering the golf club towards the ball;

hitting the ball; and

swinging said golf club after hitting said ball.

22. A electromyography (EMG) signal measuring system, comprising:

a plurality of EMG electrodes disposed at predetermined locations on a hand, configured to sense a magnitude of a plurality of EMG signals over a period of time, wherein said EMG electrodes are disposed at locations targeted to specific muscle locations on a hand of a user when said glove body is worn;

a data acquisition circuit coupled to said plurality of EMG electrodes, configured to receive at least one of said plurality of EMG signals and to generate an output proportional to said magnitude of said at least one of said plurality of EMG signals sensed by at least one of said plurality of EMG electrodes; and

a user feedback electrically coupled to said data acquisition circuit;

wherein

said predetermined locations on said hand comprise at least two of the following pairs;

a) above the Opponens pollicis muscle and the Abductor pollicis brevis muscle; and

above the radius bone or the Dorsum area;

b) above the First dorsal interosseus muscle; and

above the Dorsum area;

c) above the Second dorsal interosseus muscle; and

above the Dorsum area;

d) above the Abductor digiti minimi brevis muscle; and

above the Ulnar bone or the Dorsum area.