A Wireless-Sensor System for Reliable Recordings during Vigorous Muscle Activitie

描述(由申请人提供)：此第一阶段SBIR提交将为开发可靠的身体穿戴数据采集系统的总体目标提供原则证明，该系统适用于在剧烈和其他要求苛刻的体力活动中评估肌肉表现和运动学的应用程序。该系统将包括结合表面肌电(SEMG)和加速度计(ACC)信号检测的无线传感器，以及用于获取这些数据的HIP模块。尽管无线传感器技术最近取得了进步，但在要求苛刻的应用中，这些设备保留了有限的功能，例如在不受控制的运动障碍、体育活动或工作场所活动期间进行记录。需要在设计上取得突破，才能生产出一种不仅提供可移植性，而且还能满足强大应用需求的技术。第一阶段通过大幅降低传感器的高度并使其与人体表面保持一致来满足这一需求，通过将传感器-皮肤接口组件与提供机电稳定性的接触几何结构结合在一起，并通过引入覆盖附着带来保护传感器，使其在穿在衣服下时免受机械和静电干扰。这些功能中的每一个都代表了可比商业系统中找不到的创新。它们将共同提供一个系统，实现使用当前技术无法达到的性能指标。这项创新将扩大研究人员和临床医生在这些更具活力和潜在不稳定的应用下研究人类运动和肌肉功能的能力。该研究战略将开发符合剧烈活动所需性能标准的传感器原型，并在复制临床、运动和人体工程学用例的三个测试场景下对其进行评估。这些标准是基于我们在开发商业传感器系统方面的经验。它们包括评估信号保真度的电气测试和评估皮肤上传感器稳定性的机械测试。第一阶段将提供符合或超过可靠和有用产品的性能标准的sEMG/ACC无线传感器的设计规格。这一阶段将确定技术优势和可行性 第二阶段将利用传感器技术开发一种商用前的可穿戴便携式数据采集系统，该系统将在激烈的用例场景中进行测试。 与公众健康相关：开发一种新的非侵入性传感器系统，用于剧烈肌肉活动期间的表面肌电和加速度计测量，将使研究人员和临床医生能够在更大范围的条件下研究人类肌肉的功能和运动。这项拟议的技术为临床、体育和人体工学应用打开了大门，在这些应用中，肢体的快速运动和暴露在机电干扰中排除了肌电或加速度计测量的使用，这是这些学科中最常用的两种工具。该项目将提高a)临床医生研究运动障碍的能力，b)体育科学家对运动员进行实地研究的能力，以及c)人体工程学家研究工作场所损伤的能力。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This Phase I SBIR submission will provide proof-of-principle for the overall goal of developing a reliable body-worn data-acquisition system for applications that assess muscle performance and kinematics during vigorous and otherwise demanding physical activities. The system will consist of wireless sensors which combine surface electromyographic (sEMG) and accelerometer (ACC) signal detection, and a hip module for acquiring these data. Despite recent advancements in wireless sensor technology, these retain limited functionality during demanding applications, such as recording during uncontrolled movement disorders, sports activities, or activities in the work place. A design breakthrough is needed to produce a technology that does more than just provide portability, but also meets the requirements for vigorous applications. Phase I addresses this need by substantially reducing the height of the sensor and enabling it to conform to the body surface, by incorporating sensor-skin interface components with a contact geometry that provides electromechanical stability, and by introducing an overlay attachment band that secures and shields the sensor from mechanical and electrostatic disturbances when used under clothing. Each of these features represents innovations not found in comparable commercially available systems. Together they will provide a system that achieves performance metrics unattainable using current technology. The innovation will expand the ability of researchers and clinicians to investigate human movement and muscle function under these more vigorous and potentially unstable applications. The research strategy will develop sensor prototypes which meet performance criteria required for vigorous activities and evaluate them under three test scenarios which replicate clinical, sports and ergonomic use cases. These criteria are based on our experience in developing commercial sensor systems. They include electrical tests for assessing signal fidelity and mechanical tests to assess stability of the sensor on the skin. Phase I will deliver design specifications for a sEMG/ACC wireless sensor that meet or exceed performance criteria for a reliable and useful product. This phase will establish the technical merit and feasibility of the sensor technology and provide design specifications to assure a high likelihood of success for Phase II. Phase II will utilize the sensor technology to develop a pre-commercial body-worn portable data acquisition system that will be tested during vigorous use-case scenarios. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The development of a new non-invasive sensor system for surface electromyography and accelerometer measurement during vigorous muscle activities will enable researchers and clinicians to investigate human muscle function and movement under a substantially greater range of conditions. The proposed technology opens the doors to clinical, sports, and ergonomic applications where rapid movement of limbs and exposure to electro-mechanical disturbances preclude the use of electromyographic or accelerometer measurements; two of the most commonly relied-upon tools in these disciplines. This project will improve the ability of a) clinicians to study movement disorders, b) sports scientists to do field studies of athletes, and c) ergonomists to study work place injuries.