Wearable EMG Patch Low-Power Wireless Signal Transmission
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surface electromyography (sEMG) systems are large, non-portable, inconvenient to use, and consume significant energy, requiring wired connections for powering and data collection, which limits their application in muscle rehabilitation and training.
Innovation Solution
A wearable patch with spaced-apart sensing electrodes and a ground electrode, equipped with circuitry for digitizing and wirelessly transmitting EMG signals to a remote display unit, using low power consumption methods such as limited bandwidth amplification, analog-to-digital conversion, and microprocessor filtering, allowing for efficient data transmission and visualization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If sEMG equipment is made portable and wireless, then ease of operation and user convenience are improved, but energy consumption increases and device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides functionality between the wearable patch (signal acquisition, amplification, filtering, analog-to-digital conversion) and the remote device (data reception, processing, display). This segmentation allows the patch to remain low-power while still providing wireless portability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patch performs only essential signal conditioning functions (amplification, filtering, ADC) and transmits minimal processed data rather than performing all processing locally. This partial action approach reduces the power requirements of the wearable component while maintaining portability.
2Ease of operation
If sEMG equipment is made portable and wireless, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides functionality between the wearable patch and remote device, placing complex processing functions in the remote device while keeping the patch simple. This segmentation reduces the complexity burden on the wearable component.
Solution Approach 2:
The patch acts as an intermediary that acquires and pre-processes signals before transmitting to the remote device. This intermediary role allows the complex processing to occur remotely while maintaining simple wearable hardware.
3Measurement precision
If signal processing is performed with high fidelity, then measurement precision is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Essential signal conditioning (amplification, filtering, ADC) is performed in the patch to maintain measurement precision, while more computationally intensive processing is performed remotely. This partial processing approach maintains signal quality while reducing wearable energy consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
The system for displaying muscle force data includes a wearable patch and a remote visual display. The wearable patch carries electrodes suitable for sensing electromyographic signals on the skin of the patient. The patch carries circuitry which converts the detected electromyographic signal to a digital output which can be transmitted to the remote visual display. The circuitry relies on filtering to produce a usable digital signal at very low power consumption. The transmitted signal can be used to drive a variety of visual displays, including a conventional hand-held personal communicators and entertainment devices which had been programmed to suitably process the visual display.