Muscle Supporter with Sensor-Driven Electrical Stimulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing muscle supporters struggle to provide effective muscle support due to insufficient elasticity and difficulty in accommodating variations in muscle strength, leading to inadequate assistance during movements.
Innovation Solution
A muscle supporter with a sheet member equipped with a muscle strength condition detector, muscle contraction timing detector, and muscle assist movement provider, which includes sensors and electrical muscle stimulation electrodes to detect muscle strength and contraction timing, and assist muscle contraction accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a texture member with elasticity is used to assist muscle contraction, then the user can perform activities with smaller muscle strength, but the support effectiveness is insufficient due to inability to adapt to variations in muscle strength
Solution Approach 1:
The muscle supporter transitions from a static elastic texture member to a dynamic system with sensors and actuators that can detect muscle strength conditions and adjust support force in real-time, enabling adaptation to varying muscle strength levels during different activities
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates sensors that detect muscle strength conditions and provide feedback to the control unit, which then adjusts the support force accordingly, creating a closed-loop control system that optimizes muscle support effectiveness based on actual muscle state
2Force
If the elasticity of the texture member is increased to provide stronger support, then muscle assistance is improved, but it may interfere with movement of other muscles or increase compression too much on the body
Solution Approach 1:
The support force is made dynamic rather than fixed, allowing the system to provide high support force when needed for weak muscles while reducing or eliminating support when it would interfere with other muscle movements or cause excessive compression
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the support force parameter in real-time based on detected muscle strength conditions, transitioning from a constant high-force elastic member to a variable force system that adjusts intensity according to actual muscle needs
3Adaptability or versatility
If a texture member is designed to cover the waist and apply elastic force, then it can assist in straightening the back, but it cannot provide targeted support for specific muscles with varying strength conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The muscle supporter is divided into multiple independent units, each equipped with its own sensors and actuators, allowing targeted support for different muscle groups while maintaining overall system coordination through the control unit
Solution Approach 2:
The system integrates multiple functions including muscle strength detection, contraction timing detection, and variable force application within a single device, replacing the simple elastic texture member with a multi-functional intelligent system
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The muscle supporter effectively enhances muscle strength by providing targeted assistance at the appropriate contraction timing, improving daily activities and muscle strength without excessive compression or incorrect stimulation.
Implementation Method 1
a muscle assist movement provider 430 that performs, in operation, an assist movement to assist the muscle to contract in accordance with the detected muscle strength condition and the detected muscle contraction timing
Data Source
AI summary
A muscle supporter includes a sheet member that is to be closely attached to skin covering a muscle, a muscle strength condition detector, a muscle contraction timing detector, and a muscle assist movement provider. The muscle strength condition detector disposed on the sheet member detects information related to muscle strength condition of the muscle. The muscle contraction timing detector disposed on the sheet member, in operation, detects a muscle contraction timing of the muscle. The muscle assist movement provider disposed on the sheet member, in operation, assists the muscle to contract in response to the detected information and the detected muscle contraction timing.