Apparatus, method, and medium controlling electrical stimulation and/or health training/monitoring

Abstract

An apparatus, method, and medium for generating electrical stimulation, including an electromyogram detector detecting an electromyographic signal of a body, a fatigue index calculator calculating a fatigue index indicating a degree of muscle fatigue by converting the electromyographic signal detected by the electromyogram detector during a predetermined time unit into a frequency-domain electromyographic signal, and an electrical stimulation signal generator adjusting an electrical stimulation signal according to the calculated fatigue index and generating the electrical stimulation signal. Accordingly, a health training / monitoring apparatus can include an electrical stimulation generator adjusting an electrical stimulation signal according to a degree of fatigue and generating the electrical stimulation signal, a physical activity monitor monitoring a physical activity using at least one of a heart rate measurer and an accelerometer, and a mode selector selectively driving the electrical stimulation generator or the physical activity monitor according to an amount of the physical activity.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims the priority benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2004-0042507, filed on Jun. 10, 2004, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to a medical aid, and more particularly, to an apparatus, method, and medium controlling electrical stimulation using an electromyographic signal and / or health training / monitoring with the same. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art [0005] Conventional devices for electrically stimulating abdominal muscles to strengthen the abdominal muscles cannot quantitatively monitor the state of the abdominal muscles after abdominal muscle-strengthening exercise. Therefore, the conventional devices cannot display a corresponding electrical stimulation level, according to the state of abdominal muscles of each indi...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Conventional devices for electrically stimulating abdominal muscles to strengthen the abdominal muscles cannot quantitatively monitor the state of the abdominal muscles after abdominal muscle-strengthening exercise.

Therefore, the conventional devices cannot display a corresponding electrical stimulation level, according to the state of abdominal muscles of each individual.

Further, repeated abdominal muscle-strengthening exercise may aggravate fatigued abdominal muscles, with excessive exercise actually hindering the restoration of abdominal muscles and produce adverse effects.

In addition, since conventional heart monitors are worn around the chest, e.g., to measure heart rates, they can cause a sense of pressure upon the chest.

In addition, conventionally, there have not been any apparatuses, methods, or media managing patients having difficulty with movement by monitoring their back muscles and walking patterns, in real time, nor have there been any apparatuses, methods, or media for measuring heart rates and stimulating abdominal muscles simultaneously.

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