Electromyographic feedback monitor system

• US 6,076,011 A
• Filed: 02/02/1999
• Issued: 06/13/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: J&J Engineering
• Original Assignee: J&J Engineering
• Inventors: Hoover, Jan C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Getzow, Scott M.
• Application Number:
  US09/252,606
• Time in Patent Office: 497 Days
• Field of Search: 600/546
• US Class Current: 600/546
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/389 Electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence

Abstract

A system to monitor surface electromyographic (EMG) activity of a user and provide appropriate feedback to the user includes an EMG feedback monitor sized and configured to be worn by the user. In the depicted embodiment, surface EMG activity is measured with electrodes integrally affixed to a housing of the system. Feedback is typically provided using vibrations of certain duration and repetition. The system operates under various user selectable operational modes. Each operational mode is associated with particular electromyographic feedback criteria used to determine appropriate feedback for the user. The electromyographic feedback criteria is related to signal levels and time measurements associated with surface EMG activity level measured of the user. The depicted embodiment includes a computer interface allowing EMG signal data recorded by the EMG feedback monitor to be sent to a computer system. The computer system is also used to adjust and download desired operational modes into the EMG feedback monitor.

Claims

1. An electromyographic monitor system for a user, the system comprising:

a sensor package sized and configured to be worn by the user;

a plurality of electromyographic electrodes affixed to the sensor package, the electromyographic electrodes configured to produce electromyographic signals based on surface electromyographic activity of a monitored region of the user;

a vibration output device affixed to the sensor package, the vibration output device configured to transmit to the monitored region of the user a vibration signal perceptible by the user when the output device is activated;

a processor configured to receive digital signals associated with the electromyographic signals produced by the plurality of electromyographic electrodes, the electrodes measuring electromyographic activity of the user, the processor configured to transmit a signal to activate the vibration output device based on whether the measured electromyographic signals satisfy electromyographic feedback criteria wherein the electromyographic feedback criteria are related to electromyographic signal levels and time measurements associated with the measured electromyographic signals; and

a user control coupled to the processor wherein the user with the user control selects an operational mode having a particular electromyographic feedback criteria from a plurality of operational modes under which the processor operates.

2. The electromyographic monitor system of claim 1, further including:

a housing wherein the sensor package is an integral part of the housing and the vibration output device and the processor are affixed to the housing.

3. The electromyographic monitor system of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to adjust the electromyographic feedback criteria of the selected operational mode based on the measured electromyographic signals.

4. The electromyographic monitor system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of operational modes comprises:

Percent Time Amplitude Mode, Threshold Amplitude Mode, Median Frequency Mode, Prompted Exercise Mode, or Threshold Shaping Mode.

5. The electromyographic monitor system of claim 1, further including:

a housing wherein the processor is affixed to the housing and the electromyographic signals are sent from the sensor package to the housing by an electrical cable external to the housing; and

a slave output electrically coupled to the processor by an electrical cable external to the housing.

6. The electromyographic monitor system of claim 1, further including:

a housing wherein the processor is affixed to the housing and the electromyographic signals are sent from the sensor package to the housing by an electrical cable external to the housing; and

a slave output electrically coupled to the processor by a wireless communication link.

7. The electromyographic monitor system of claim 1, further comprising:

a connector configured to detachably connect the electromyographic feedback monitor system to a computer system via an interface cable wherein the computer system transmits electromyographic feedback criteria to the electromyographic feedback monitor system.

8. The electromyographic monitor system of claim 1, further including:

a housing sized and configured to contain the processor and the user control.

9. An electromyographic monitor system for a user, the system comprising:

an output device configured to be worn by the user and to transmit a signal perceptible by the user when the output device is activated;

a memory storing electromyographic feedback criteria; and

a processor electrically coupled to the output device and the memory, the processor configured to receive digital signals associated with electromyographic signals indicating electromyographic activity of the user, the processor configured to transmit an activation signal to activate the output device based on whether the measured electromyographic signals satisfy the electromyographic feedback criteria stored in the memory.

10. The electromyographic monitor system of claim 9 wherein the processor and memory are monolithically integrated on the same integrated circuit.

11. The electromyographic monitor system of claim 9 wherein the output device is a vibrator configured to transmit vibrations to a monitored region of the user to be perceived by the user.

12. The electromyographic monitor system of claim 9, further comprising:

a housing wherein the processor is affixed to the housing and the output device and the processor are electrically coupled by an electrical cable external to the housing.

13. The electromyographic monitor system of claim 9 wherein the electromyographic feedback criteria are related to electromyographic signal levels and time measurements associated with the measured electromyographic signals.

14. The electromyographic monitor system of claim 9 wherein the output device emits audio tones or voice prompts, or displays bar graphs or text.

15. The electromyographic monitor system of claim 9 wherein the electromyographic feedback criteria are associated with data comprising maximum microvolt level of the measured electromyographic signals during a specified period of time, minimum microvolt level of the measured electromyographic signals during a specified period of time, percentage of time that the measured electromyographic signals spend at given amplitude levels over a specified period of time, percentage of time that the measured electromyographic signals are above a given threshold level, percentage of time that the measured electromyographic signals are below a given threshold level, standard deviation of the measured electromyographic signals, number of feedback occurrences, duration of feedback, or EMG distribution plots.

16. The electromyographic monitor system of claim 9 wherein the processor is further configured to adjust the electromyographic feedback criteria based on the measured electromyographic signals.

17. The electromyographic monitor system of claim 9 wherein the processor has a sleep mode and an operational mode, the processor configured to determine impedance levels of the electrodes and configured to switch from the sleep mode to the operational mode based on the impedance levels of the electrodes.

18. The electromyographic monitor system of claim 9 wherein the housing has a height of less than 4 inches, a width of less than 4 inches and a depth of less than 2 inches.

19. The electromyographic monitor system of claim 9 wherein the housing has an outer surface and the electrodes are integrally affixed to the outer surface of the housing.

20. The electromyographic monitor system of claim 9 wherein the processor is further configured to analyze the digital signals regarding signal levels and associated time measurements of the measured electromyographic signals.

21. The electromyographic monitor system of claim 9 wherein the processor is configured to perform fault detection comprising calibration of the electrodes, determining common mode rejection of a differential amplifier, or determining self-noise of the electromyographic feedback monitor system.

22. The electromyographic monitor system of claim 9, further including a user control wherein the user selects with the user control an operational mode from a plurality of operational modes under which the processor operates, the plurality of operational modes comprising Percent Time Amplitude Mode, Threshold Amplitude Mode, Median Frequency Mode, Prompted Exercise Mode, or Threshold Shaping Mode.

23. The electromyographic feedback monitor system of claim 9 wherein the electromyographic feedback criteria are associated with the time domain or frequency domain calculations associated with the measured electromyographic signals.

24. The electromyographic feedback monitor system of claim 9 wherein the processor determines trend and transmits the activation signal further based on the trend.

25. An electromyographic monitor system for a user, the system comprising:

a housing configured to be worn by the user;

a storage device affixed to the housing, the storage device configured to store electromyographic signal data of electromyographic signals received from electrodes;

a communication link configured to provide signals from the electromyographic monitor system to a computer system wherein the signal data are transferred to the computer system; and

a user control wherein the user selects with the user control an operational mode from a plurality of operational modes stored in the storage device, the processor performing according to parameters associated with the selected operational mode.

26. An electromyographic monitor system for a user, the system comprising:

a housing configured to be worn by the user;

a memory storing electromyographic feedback criteria;

a processor affixed to the housing configured to receive digital signals associated with electromyographic signals measured by electrodes, the processor configured to turn on an output device based on the electromyographic feedback criteria stored in the memory associated with the measured electromyographic signals; and

a communication link configured to provide signals from a system computer to the electromyographic feedback monitor system to a computer system wherein the computer system is configured to adjust the electromyographic feedback criteria stored in the memory.

27. The electromyographic monitor system of claim 26, further including a user control wherein the user selects electromyographic feedback criteria stored in the memory.

28. The electromyographic monitor system of claim 26 wherein the electromyographic feedback criteria includes Percent Time Amplitude Mode, Threshold Amplitude Mode, Medium Frequency Mode, Prompted Exercise Mode, or Threshold Shaping Mode.

29. The electromyographic monitor system of claim 26 wherein the output device is electrically coupled to the processor by an electrical cable external to the housing.

30. The electromyographic monitor system of claim 26 wherein the communication link is a cable.

31. The electromyographic monitor system of claim 26 wherein the communication link is wireless.

32. The electromyographic monitor system of claim 26 wherein the output device outputs a tactile signal.

33. A method comprising:

assigning parameter values for a plurality of operational modes associated with an electromyographic feedback monitor system;

selecting an operational mode from the plurality of operational modes;

measuring electromyographic signals associated with electromyographic activity in a monitored region of the user;

analyzing the electromyographic signals based on the selected operational mode; and

transmitting a tactile signal to the monitored region of the user perceptible by the user based upon results of the analysis.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein analyzing is performed in a location other than the monitored region.

35. The method of claim 33, further including:

adjusting electromyographic feedback criteria associated with the plurality of operational modes based upon results of the analysis.

36. The method of claim 33, further including:

transmitting a visual or audio output based upon results of the analysis.