System for the measurement, display and instrumental conditioning of electromyographic signals

• US 3,905,355 A
• Filed: 12/06/1973
• Issued: 09/16/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Joseph Brudny
• Original Assignee: Joseph Brudny
• Inventors: Brudny, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, William E.
• Application Number:
  US05/422,129
• Time in Patent Office: 649 Days
• Field of Search: 128/1R,2N,2R,2S,2.1A,2.1B,2.1M,2.1P,2.1R,2.1Z,419R,2.6B,2.6G 340/407,279
• US Class Current: 600/546
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/301 providing electrical separation, e.g. by using isolating transformers or optocouplers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/389 Electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7242 using integration
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/905 Feedback to patient of biological signal other than brain electric signal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/908 Patient protection from electric shock

Abstract

A plurality of electrical contacts are applied to human beings to detect muscle (i.e. electromyographic, or E.M.G.) activity at various points of the body. Each of the multiplicity of resultant signals are amplified, filtered, rectified and converted to a pulse train. These pulse trains are integrated over programmable time periods and the multiplicity of integrated signals representative of muscle activity may be displayed on a multiplicity of output devices including audio and visual. In addition means are included to represent a reference signal corresponding to willful E.M.G. activity. This instrument is useful to provide exteroceptive signals to human beings whose proprioceptive mechanisms have been damaged by disease or other causes. By these means alternate neural pathways may be used to train or retrain human beings to proper willful activity and/or restoration of function.

Claims

1. An apparatus for obtaining and displaying muscle activity at a multiplicity of points on the human body, said device comprising:

a multiplicity of electrode sets adapted to be in contact with the skin, each of said electrode sets including two or more electrodes, input means for receiving signals from said multiplicity of electrode sets, amplification means for the amplification of said signals, full wave rectification means for said amplification of said signals for each of said multiplicity of signals representative of muscle activity, conversion means for the conversion of said multiplicity of said full wave rectified signals into pulse signals whose frequency is proportional to said full wave rectified signals, the latter being representative of muscle activity, isolation means connected to said conversion means by which said multiplicity of pulse signals is converted into a multiplicity of light signals, a multiplicity of detection means associated with the multiplicity of light signals by which said light signals are converted into electrical pulses proportional to the repetition of said multiplicity of light signals, a multiplicity of integration means including multi-point switching means connected to said multiplicity of detection means wherein a multiplicity of muscle signals is integrated by summation of the multiplicity of pulses produced by said multiplicity of detection means, feedback means connected to said multiplicity of integration means wherein a multiplicity of signals subject to normal recognition by the normally functioning human senses are produced therefrom, said feedback means comprising;

a multiplicity of scale adjustment means wherein said integration may be adjusted in relation to the frequency of said pulses representative of muscle activity wherein the total number of accumulated pulses representative of the integrated muscle signal may be adjusted by insertion of said pulses into said multi-point switching means of said multiplicity of integration means, a multiplicity of storage means by which the multiplicity of accumulated pulses associated with the said multiplicity of integration means may be stored for predetermined periods of time, such storage means retaining a continuous representatioN of the multiplicity of rectified muscle signals, programming means whereby the contents of the multiplicity of storage means may be periodically changed and whereby the contents of said multiplicity of integration means may be initiated at zero, thereby preparing them for accumulation of pulses representative of muscle activity during a subsequent time period, a multiplicity of conversion means whereby the said number of pulses stored in said multiplicity of storage means is converted therefrom into a voltage proportional to said number of pulses, display means connected to any of the said multiplicity of storage means whereby the contents of said multiplicity of storage means may be displayed on a digital display device, oscilloscope means including a cathode ray tube connected to said second mentioned multiplicity of conversion means whereby the voltage or signal from any and all of the said second mentioned multiplicity of conversion means may be displayed on said oscilloscope means as a continuous trace on the cathode ray tube of said oscilloscope means, adjustable reference means connected to said cathode ray tube, comparison means connected to any of said second mentioned multiplicity of conversion means wherein the signals from any of the second mentioned multiplicity of conversion means may be compared to said adjustable reference means, said comparison means producing signals proportional to the difference between the signals of said second mentioned multiplicity of conversion means and said adjustable reference means, and signals indicative of when said adjustable reference means is larger or smaller than the signals from said second mentioned conversion means, audio means whereby the intensity of a tone may be adjusted in accordance with the output signal of the comparison means, such audio means being selected so as to be put at its maximum intensity when the signal from said second mentioned conversion means is larger than said adjustable reference means, or when the signal from said second mentioned multiplicity of conversion means is smaller than said adjustable reference means, or whose intensity is proportional to the difference between said reference means signal and the signal from said second mentioned multiplicity of conversion means.

2. A device as in claim 1 wherein said adjustable reference means comprises:

an independent source of variable electrical voltage settable in magnitude so as to be representative of equivalent muscle activity and connected to said cathode ray tube to be displayable thereon as a continuous trace simultaneously with any of the signals of said second mentioned multiplicity of conversion means thereby providing a means for human beings to compare the signals from said second mentioned multiplicity of conversion means with said adjustable reference means representative of willful muscle activity.