Portable electronic data collection apparatus for monitoring musculoskeletal stresses

• US 5,785,666 A
• Filed: 10/31/1995
• Issued: 07/28/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ergonomic Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: Ergonomic Technologies Corporation
• Inventors: Nair, Chandra, Costello, Kevin J., Mitchell, Dennis A., Roth, Cynthia
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, Aaron J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Dinh X.
• Application Number:
  US08/550,676
• Time in Patent Office: 1,001 Days
• Field of Search: 128/782, 128/774, 128/733, 128/653.1, 600/409, 600/546, 600/587, 600/595
• US Class Current: 600/595
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1071 measuring angles, e.g. using goniometers A61B5/1123 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/224 Measuring muscular strength
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/389 Electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4528 Joints A61B5/4533, A61B5/4538 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence

Abstract

A portable biofeedback apparatus and method for simultaneously gathering information regarding more than one type of musculoskeletal stress. The apparatus has at least two different types of user-selectable sensors for converting different kinds of musculoskeletal activities into electrical signals. An analog-to-digital converter samples the electrical signals at predetermined rates. A memory receives and stores the digital signals. A processor centrally controls the collection, sampling, display and transmittal of the digital data. Magnitudes of the digital signals are simultaneously and in real-time graphically portrayed as a function of time.

Claims

1. A portable electronic data collection apparatus for monitoring musculoskeletal stresses comprising:

a plurality of dissimilar sensors for converting a plurality of musculoskeletal activities into electrical signals, each of the plurality of sensors being an input to a channel, said plurality of dissimilar sensors including

a passive surface electrode placed on a person'"'"'s skin above a muscle in which activity is to be measured and in communication with a first analog-to-digital converter for measuring electromyographic signals associated with activity of the muscle,

a second sensor in communication with the first analog-to-digital converter for measuring force signals associated with a portion of a human body contacting an object,

a third sensor in communication with a second analog-to-digital converter for measuring angular position signals associated with the position of a body joint;

an analog-to-digital converter for sampling the electrical signals from a user-selected channel at a predetermined rate such that digital values of the electrical signals are obtained at discrete points in time;

a processor in communication with said analog-to-digital converter, for collecting the digital values of the electrical signals;

a memory in communication with said processor, said memory receiving and storing the digital values; and

a first visual display in communication with said processor, said first visual display simultaneously and in real-time graphically portraying magnitudes of the digital values of the user-selected channel as a function of time.

2. A portable electronic data collection apparatus for monitoring musculoskeletal stresses comprising:

a plurality of dissimilar sensors for converting a plurality of musculoskeletal activities into electrical signals, each of the plurality of sensors being an input to a channel, said plurality of dissimilar sensors including

a first sensor in communication with a first analog-to-digital converter for measuring electromyographic signals associated with activity of a muscle,

a force sensing resistor located in a glove which is placed on a hand of a person and in communication with the first analog-to-digital converter for measuring force signals associated with a portion of a human body contacting an object,

a third sensor in communication with a second analog-to-digital converter for measuring angular position signals associated with the position of a body joint;

an analog-to-digital converter for sampling the electrical signals from a user-selected channel at a predetermined rate such that digital values of the electrical signals are obtained at discrete points in time;

a processor in communication with said analog-to-digital converter, for collecting the digital values of the electrical signals;

a memory in communication with said processor, said memory receiving and storing the digital values; and

a first visual display in communication with said processor, said first visual display simultaneously and in real-time graphically portraying magnitudes of the digital values of the user-selected channel as a function of time.

3. A portable electronic data collection apparatus for monitoring musculoskeletal stresses comprising:

a plurality of dissimilar sensors for converting a plurality of musculoskeletal activities into electrical signals. each of the plurality of sensors being an input to a channel;

an analog-to-digital converter for sampling the electrical signals from a user-selected channel at a predetermined rate such that digital values of the electrical signals are obtained at discrete points in time;

a processor in communication with said analog-to-digital converter, for collecting the digital values of the electrical signals;

a memory in communication with said processor, said memory receiving and storing the digital values;

a first visual display in communication with said processor, said first visual display simultaneously and in real-time graphically portraying magnitudes of the digital values of the user-selected channel as a function of time; and

means for calibrating the apparatus so that an output level of the apparatus is in substantial agreement with measured maximum and minimum values of the electrical signals from each channel.

4. The portable electronic data collection apparatus for monitoring musculoskeletal stresses according to claim 3, wherein said means for calibrating the apparatus stores the sampled maximum and minimum values of the electrical signals from each channel for a particular person.

5. A portable electronic data collection apparatus for monitoring musculoskeletal stresses comprising:

a plurality of dissimilar sensors for converting a plurality of musculoskeletal activities into electrical signals, each of the plurality of sensors being an input to a channel;

an analog-to-digital converter for sampling the electrical signals from a user-selected channel at a predetermined rate such that digital values of the electrical signals are obtained at discrete points in time;

a processor in communication with said analog-to-digital converter, for collecting the digital values of the electrical signals;

a memory in communication with said processor, said memory receiving and storing the digital values, said memory comprising a removable PCMCIA card; and

a first visual display in communication with said processor, said first visual display simultaneously and in real-time graphically portraying magnitudes of the digital values of the user-selected channel as a function of time.

6. A portable electronic data collection apparatus for monitoring musculoskeletal stresses comprising:

a plurality of dissimilar sensors for converting a plurality of musculoskeletal activities into electrical signals each of the plurality of sensors being an input to a channel;

an analog-to-digital converter for sampling the electrical signals from a user-selected channel at a predetermined rate such that digital values of the electrical signals are obtained at discrete points in time;

a processor in communication with said analog-to-digital converter, for collecting the digital values of the electrical signals;

a memory in communication with said processor, said memory receiving and storing the digital values;

a cable connecting said memory with said processor, for transmitting the digital values from said processor to said memory; and

a first visual display in communication with said processor, said first visual display simultaneously and in real-time graphically portraying magnitudes of the digital values of the user-selected channel as a function of time.

7. A portable electronic data collection apparatus for monitoring musculoskeletal stresses comprising:

a plurality of dissimilar sensors for converting a plurality of musculoskeletal activities into electrical signals, each of the plurality of sensors being an input to a channel;

an analog-to-digital converter for sampling the electrical signals from a user-selected channel at a predetermined rate such that digital values of the electrical signals are obtained at discrete points in time;

a processor in communication with said analog-to-digital converter, for collecting the digital values of the electrical signals;

a memory in communication with said processor, said memory receiving and storing the digital values;

a radio-frequency connection between said memory and said processor, for transmitting the digital values from said processor to said memory; and

a first visual display in communication with said processor, said first visual display simultaneously and in real-time graphically portraying magnitudes of the digital values of the user-selected channel as a function of time.

8. A portable electronic data collection apparatus for monitoring musculoskeletal stresses comprising:

a plurality of dissimilar sensors for converting a plurality of musculoskeletal activities into electrical signals, each of the plurality of sensors being an input to a channel;

an analog-to-digital converter for sampling the electrical signals from a user-selected channel at a predetermined rate such that digital values of the electrical signals are obtained at discrete points in time;

a processor in communication with said analog-to-digital converter, for collecting the digital values of the electrical signals;

a memory in communication with said processor, said memory receiving and storing the digital values;

a first visual display in communication with said processor, said first visual display simultaneously and in real-time graphically portraying magnitudes of the digital values of the user-selected channel as a function of time; and

a second visual display in communication with said processor for displaying on the data collection apparatus in real-time a numeric representation of the digital values from each channel.

9. The portable electronic data collection apparatus for monitoring musculoskeletal stresses according to claim 8, wherein said second visual display comprises a liquid crystal display.

10. A portable electronic data collection apparatus for monitoring musculoskeletal stresses, comprising:

a plurality of dissimilar sensors for converting a plurality of musculoskeletal activities into electrical signals, each of the plurality of sensors being an input to a channel, the channels being grouped according to sensor type;

an analog-to-digital converter for sampling the electrical signals from at least two user-selected channels from different sensor type groups at a predetermined rate such that digital values of the electrical signals are obtained at discrete points in time;

a processor in communication with said analog-to-digital converter for collecting the digital values of the electrical signals;

a memory in communication with said processor, said memory receiving and storing the digital values;

a first visual display in communication with said processor, said first visual display simultaneously and in read-time graphically portraying magnitudes of the digital values of the user-selected channels as a function of time; and

a second visual display in communication with said processor for displaying on the data collection apparatus in real-time a numeric representation of the digital values of the user-selected channels as a function of time.

11. A portable electronic data collection apparatus for monitoring musculoskeletal stresses, comprising:

means for simultaneously sensing a plurality of musculoskeletal activities and converting the sensed activities into electrical signals, each of said means for sensing comprising at least one input to a channel, the channels being grouped according to type of means for sensing;

means for sampling the electrical signals at a predetermined rate such that digital values of the electrical signals are obtained at discrete points in time from said means for sensing;

means for storing the digital values from each channel;

means for centrally controlling the collection, sampling, display and storage of the data collected by the apparatus; and

means for simultaneously and in real-time graphically displaying magnitudes of the digital values from each channel as a function of time.