Gel liner embedded electrodes and interface for myoelectric prosthesis control

描述（由申请人提供）：上肢截肢是残疾的主要原因，最有效的治疗方法是使用假肢。动力假肢-由来自残余肌肉的肌电图（EMG）信号控制-是一种流行且不断增长的治疗选择。提供舒适的假肢悬挂和强大的EMG信号记录的重大挑战了其更广泛的接受和使用。非常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EMG信号。存在将EMG电极嵌入市售弹性衬垫中的可能性，该弹性衬垫提供舒适的假体悬挂。长期目标是将可大规模生产的具有嵌入式电极网格的弹性衬垫推向市场。弹性衬垫将具有EMG电极和引线，以网格阵列排列，可以像当前可用的衬垫一样容易地穿戴和脱下。本申请的目的是确定嵌入现有弹性衬垫产品中的顺应性EMG电极是否会产生与使用市售假体电极获得的数据相同的EMG数据。这一目标的可行性得到了申请方的数据的支持。拟议工作的基本原理是，顺应性EMG电极和导线的网格将消除定制电极放置的挑战，并通过消除截肢者操纵或管理任何外部电线和/或连接器的需要，显著减轻患者的负担。电极网格还将有助于使上肢截肢者的先进多自由度假肢更接近现实。该目标将通过完成以下两个具体目标来实现：（1）将可拉伸的柔性电极网格阵列集成到现有的弹性衬垫产品中，（2）开发并在弹性衬垫中嵌入连接器，以将EMG信号从嵌入的电极导线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EMG信号特性与使用市售假体电极记录的信号特性来测试使用具有弹性衬垫的织物电极的可行性。在第二个目标下，将通过记录用织物电极采集的EMG信号并通过连接器与使用市售假体电极采集的信号路由来测试所开发的连接器。所提出的内衬是一种创新手段，（1）大大减少了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，同时消除了对导丝操作的需要，（3）为肌电假体提供舒适的插座接口。拟议的工作是重要的，因为这种多功能的产品是一种独立的，非侵入性的手段，以一种有效的，具有成本效益的方式获取肌电设备的EMG信号，利用当前衬垫技术的附加优势。最终，这项工作将使上肢截肢者更好地使用肌电假肢，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.