605 results about "Electromyography" patented technology

A method of determining relative neuro-muscular response onset value thresholds for a plurality of spinal nerves, comprising: depolarizing a portion of the patient's cauda equina; and measuring the current intensity level at which a neuro-muscular response to the depolarization of the cauda equina is detected in each of the plurality of spinal nerves. A method for detecting the presence of a nerve adjacent the distal end of at least one probe, comprising: determining relative neuro-muscular response onset values for a plurality of spinal nerves; emitting a stimulus pulse from a probe or surgical tool; detecting neuro-muscular responses to the stimulus pulse in each of the plurality of spinal nerves; and concluding that the electrode disposed on the distal end of the at least one probe is positioned adjacent to a first spinal nerve when the neuro-muscular response detected in the first spinal nerve is detected as a current intensity level less than or equal to a corresponding neuro-muscular response onset value of the first spinal nerve.

A “Wearable Electromyography-Based Controller” includes a plurality of Electromyography (EMG) sensors and provides a wired or wireless human-computer interface (HCl) for interacting with computing systems and attached devices via electrical signals generated by specific movement of the user's muscles. Following initial automated self-calibration and positional localization processes, measurement and interpretation of muscle generated electrical signals is accomplished by sampling signals from the EMG sensors of the Wearable Electromyography-Based Controller. In operation, the Wearable Electromyography-Based Controller is donned by the user and placed into a coarsely approximate position on the surface of the user's skin. Automated cues or instructions are then provided to the user for fine-tuning placement of the Wearable Electromyography-Based Controller. Examples of Wearable Electromyography-Based Controllers include articles of manufacture, such as an armband, wristwatch, or article of clothing having a plurality of integrated EMG-based sensor nodes and associated electronics.

Apparatus for rehabilitating a patient who has a paretic body part, the apparatus comprising: a) at least one electromyography (EMG) sensor adapted to being applied to a voluntary muscle of a healthy body part of the same type as the paretic body part which at least one sensor produces at least one EMG signal; b) a neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) device adapted to stimulating at least one voluntary muscle of the paretic body part; and c) a controller which controls the NMES device, making the amplitude of stimulation of the paretic body part at least partly dependent on the EMG signal from the healthy body part.

Methods and systems are directed to evaluating a pathological condition and involve acquiring muscle movement signals, such as electromyogram (EMG) or accelerometer signals, and detecting the presence of the pathological condition. Methods and systems also provide for detecting sleep-related involuntary muscle disorders and non sleep-related involuntary muscle disorders using muscle movement signals. Drug therapy, transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation therapy, or other therapy may be delivered to treat a detected or diagnosed involuntary muscle disorder.

An electrode for collecting surface electromyographic (EMG) signals consists of a generally bolt-shaped structure having a circular signal-gathering head and an integral shaft for support purposes and for transmission of electrical signals. The head of the electrode is configured as a disc having a plurality of pyramids distributed substantially evenly over the signal gathering surface with the tips of the pyramids projecting outwardly of the head for contact with the skin of a patient. Preferably, the electrode consists entirely of 316L stainless steel, the pyramids are formed by grinding or electromachining and the shaft is threaded for receipt of a clamp nut. The electrode is adapted for mounting in a hole in a thin, flexible support member by means of the shaft to maintain spacing among adjacent electrodes and to assure proper contact with the patient.

A method of determining sleep stages from signals of electrical activity recorded of a chest of a sleeping subject, the signals being measured over a plurality of epochs. The method comprising: (a) extracting a series of cardiac R-R intervals from the signals and obtaining a time-frequency decomposition from the series of cardiac R-R intervals; (b) using the time-frequency decomposition to determine at least one Slow-Wave-Sleep (SWS) period and at least one Non-SWS (NSWS) period; (c) from the at least one NSWS period, determining at least one sleep-onset (SO) period and a plurality of non-sleep periods; (d) extracting a plurality of electromyogram (EMG) parameters from a portion of the signals, the portion corresponds to a NSWS period other than the at least one SO period and other than the plurality of non-sleep period; (e) using the plurality of EMG parameters to determine at least one REM period thereby also to obtain also at least one light-sleep (LS) period defined as a NSWS period other than the SO periods, other than the non-sleep periods and other than the REM periods; thereby determining the sleep stages of the sleeping subject.

The present invention relates to a movement disorder monitor, and a method of measuring the severity of a subject's movement disorder. The present invention additionally relates to a drug delivery system for dosing a subject in response to the increased severity of a subject's symptoms. The present invention provides for a system and method, which can accurately quantify symptoms of movements disorders, accurately quantifies symptoms utilizing both kinetic information and electromyography (EMG) data, that can be worn continuously to provide continuous information to be analyzed as needed by the clinician, that can provide analysis in real-time, that allows for home monitoring of symptoms in subject's with these movement disorders to capture the complex fluctuation patterns of the disease over the course of days, weeks or months, that maximizes subject safety, and that provides remote access to the clinician or physician.

The present invention relates to a movement disorder monitor with high sensitivity, and a method of measuring the severity of a subject's movement disorder. The present invention additionally relates to a drug delivery system for dosing a subject in response to the increased severity of a subject's symptoms. The present invention provides for a system and method, which can accurately and repeatably quantify symptoms of movements disorders, accurately quantifies symptoms utilizing both kinetic information and/or electromyography (EMU) data, that can be worn continuously to provide continuous information to be analyzed as needed by the clinician, that can provide analysis in real-time, that allows for home monitoring of symptoms in subject's with these movement disorders to capture the complex fluctuation patterns of the disease over the course of days, weeks or months, that maximizes subject safety, and that provides substantially real-time remote access to data by the clinician or physician.

Systems, articles, and methods for improved capacitive electromyography (“EMG”) sensors are described. The improved capacitive EMG sensors include one or more sensor electrode(s) that is/are coated with a protective barrier formed of a material that has a relative permittivity ∈_r of about 10 or more. The protective barrier shields the sensor electrode(s) from moisture, sweat, skin oils, etc. while advantageously contributing to a large capacitance between the sensor electrode(s) and the user's body. In this way, the improved capacitive EMG sensors provide enhanced robustness against variations in skin and/or environmental conditions. Such improved capacitive EMG sensors are particularly well-suited for use in wearable EMG devices that may be worn by a user for an extended period of time and/or under a variety of skin and/or environmental conditions. A wearable EMG device that provides a component of a human-electronics interface and incorporates such improved capacitive EMG sensors is described.

A wearable electromyogram sensor system is provided. The wearable electromyogram sensor system includes: an elastic band having a plurality of electrodes; an electromyogram sensor including an electrode connected to an electrode of the band so as to receive a bio-signal related to contraction of a muscle, and configured to sense a change of motion information through the bio-signal or previously sense the change of the motion information before the motion information is changed; and a fixing unit fixing the electromyogram sensor to the band. The electrode of the electromyogram sensor is connected to an electrode at an arbitrary position of the band.

An electro-active ophthalmic lens includes an electromyography sensor, a processor, and an electro-active optical element. The electromyography sensor is configured to detect an electric field in a ciliary muscle of the eye that is proportional to a force exerted by the ciliary muscle and to generate a sensor signal indicative of the electric field. The processor is operable to receive the signal from the electromyography sensor and to determine, based on the sensor signal, an adjustment to optical power for an electro-active optical element and to generate a control signal for the electro-active optical element. The electro-active optical element is operable to receive the control signal and to change an optical power of the electro-active optical element in response to the control signal.

Systems, articles, and methods for surface electromyography (“EMG”) sensors that combine elements from traditional capacitive and resistive EMG sensors are described. For example, capacitive EMG sensors that are adapted to resistively couple to a user's skin are described. Resistive coupling between a sensor electrode and the user's skin is galvanically isolated from the sensor circuitry by a discrete component capacitor included downstream from the sensor electrode. The combination of a resistively coupled electrode and a discrete component capacitor provides the respective benefits of traditional resistive and capacitive (respectively) EMG sensor designs while mitigating respective drawbacks of each approach. A wearable EMG device that provides a component of a human-electronics interface and incorporates such capacitive EMG sensors is also described.

A motion tracking system enables faithful capture of subtle facial and eye motion using a surface electromyography (EMG) detection method to detect muscle movements and an electrooculogram (EOG) detection method to detect eye movements. Signals corresponding to the detected muscle and eye movements are used to control an animated character to exhibit the same movements performed by a performer. An embodiment of the motion tracking animation system comprises a plurality of pairs of EMG electrodes adapted to be affixed to a skin surface of a performer at plural locations corresponding to respective muscles, and a processor operatively coupled to the plurality of pairs of EMG electrodes. The processor includes programming instructions to perform the functions of acquiring EMG data from the plurality of pairs of EMG electrodes. The EMG data comprises electrical signals corresponding to muscle movements of the performer during a performance. The programming instructions further include processing the EMG data to provide a digital model of the muscle movements, and mapping the digital model onto an animated character. In another embodiment of the invention, a plurality of pairs of EOG electrodes are adapted to be affixed to the skin surface of the performer at locations adjacent to the performer's eyes. The processor is operatively coupled to the plurality of pairs of EOG electrodes and further includes programming instructions to perform the functions of acquiring EOG data from the plurality of pairs of EOG electrodes. The EOG data comprises electrical signals corresponding to eye movements of the performer during a performance. The programming instructions further provide processing of the EOG data and mapping of the processed EOG data onto the animated character. As a result, the animated character will exhibit the same muscle and eye movements as the performer.