Gel liner embedded electrodes and interface for myoelectric prosthesis control

描述(申请人提供)：上肢截肢是导致残疾的主要原因，最有效的治疗方法是假肢。电动假体--由残留肌肉的肌电(EMG)信号控制--是一种流行的、日益增长的治疗选择。在提供舒适的假体悬挂和强大的肌电信号记录方面的重大挑战挑战了它们的更广泛的接受和使用。迫切需要开发一种临床上可行的、用户友好的方法来舒适地悬挂假体并获取高质量的肌电信号。有可能将肌电电极嵌入到提供舒适假体悬挂的商业可用弹性衬垫中。长期目标是向市场推出一种可批量生产的具有嵌入电极栅格的弹性衬垫。弹性衬垫将具有肌电电极和引线，排列成网格阵列，可以像目前可用的衬垫一样轻松地穿上和脱下。本申请的目的是确定嵌入到现有弹性衬垫产品中的顺应性肌电电极是否会产生与使用商用假体电极获取的数据相同的肌电数据。申请者的初步数据支持了这一目标的可行性。拟议工作的基本原理是，由符合规定的肌电电极和导联组成的网格将消除定制电极放置的挑战，并通过消除截肢者操作或管理任何外部导线和/或连接器的需要，显著减轻患者的负担。电极网还将有助于使上肢截肢者的先进多自由度假体更接近现实。该目标将通过完成以下两个具体目标来实现：(1)将可伸展的柔性电极栅格阵列集成到现有的弹性衬垫产品中，(2)在弹性衬垫中开发并嵌入连接器，以将EMG信号从嵌入的导联路由到衬垫外部的通用电子接口。在第一个目标下，将通过比较使用织物电极记录的肌电信号特性与使用商用假体电极记录的信号特性来测试在弹性衬垫中使用织物电极的可行性。在第二个目标下，开发的连接器将通过记录用织物电极采集的肌电信号进行测试，并通过连接器与使用商业可获得的假体电极采集的信号进行测试。建议的内衬是一种创新的方法，可以(1)大大减少与定制电极放置相关的临床挑战和时间，(2)捕获高质量的EMG信号，同时消除对钢丝操作的需要，以及(3)为肌电假体提供舒适的插座接口。这项拟议的工作意义重大，因为这种多功能产品是一种独立的、非侵入性的方法，可以利用当前线性技术的额外优势，以高效和经济的方式采集肌电设备的肌电信号。最终，这项工作将使上肢截肢者更好地使用肌电假体，从而改善他们的功能和生活质量。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Upper limb amputation is a major cause of disability and is most effectively treated with a prosthesis. Powered prostheses - controlled by electromyographic (EMG) signals from residual muscles - are a popular and growing treatment option. Significant challenges with providing comfortable prosthesis suspension and robust EMG signal recordings challenge their wider acceptance and usage. There is a great need to develop a clinically viable, user-friendly method to comfortably suspend the prosthesis and acquire high quality EMG signals. Potential exists to embed EMG electrodes into a commercially available elastomeric liner that offers comfortable prosthesis suspension. The long-term goal is to bring to market a mass-producible elastomeric liner with an embedded grid of electrodes. The elastomeric liner will have EMG electrodes and leads, arranged in a grid array that can be donned and doffed as easily as currently available liners. The objective of this application is to determine if compliant EMG electrodes embedded into an existing elastomeric liner product will yield EMG data that is on par with data acquired using commercially available prosthesis electrodes. The feasibility of this objective is supported by the applicant's preliminar data. The rationale for the proposed work is that a grid of compliant EMG electrodes and leads would eliminate the challenge of customized electrode placement and would significantly reduce the burden on the patient by eliminating the need for the amputee to manipulate or manage any external wires and/or connectors. The electrode grid would also help bring advanced multi-DOF prosthesis for upper limb amputees closer to reality. The objective will be achieved by completing the following two specific aims: (1) Integrate a stretchable, flexible electrode grid array into an existing elastomeric liner product, (2) Develop and embed a connector in the elastomeric liner to route EMG signals from the embedded leads to a general electronics interface outside of the liner. Under the first aim, the feasibility of using fabric electrodes witin an elastomeric liner will be tested by comparing EMG signal properties recorded using fabric electrodes with properties of signals recorded using commercially available prosthesis electrodes. Under the second aim, the developed connector will be tested by recording EMG signals acquired with fabric electrodes and routed through the connector with signals acquired using commercially available prosthesis electrodes. The proposed liner is an innovative means of (1) greatly reducing the clinical challenge and time associated with customized electrode placement, (2) capturing high-quality EMG signals while eliminating the need for wire manipulation, and (3) providing a comfortable socket interface for myoelectric prostheses. The proposed work is significant because this versatile product is a self-contained, non-intrusive means of acquiring EMG signals for myoelectric devices in an efficient, and cost-effective manner, taking advantage of the added benefits of current liner technology. Ultimately, this work will allow upper limb amputees better use of myoelectric prostheses, thus improving their function and quality of life.