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Publication Number
US-8343079-B2
Publication Date
2013-01-01
Expiration Date
Abstract
A sensing device for detecting a muscle event includes a mechanical sensor, such as an accelerometer, that is configured to provide a signal corresponding to a mechanical movement of a muscle, a plurality of electrodes disposed on the sensing device; and a contact detection device coupled with the plurality of electrodes and configured to detect if the sensing device is in contact with a subject.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a sensing device and system for detecting an induced muscle event of a subject associated with depolarization of a nerve innervating the muscle in response to a provided electrical stimulus. A mechanical sensor configured to be placed in contact with the skin of the subject includes an accelerometer configured to monitor an acceleration response of a muscle and to provide a mechanomyography output signal corresponding to the monitored muscle acceleration response. The receiver detects the induced muscle event from the mechanomyography output signal.
Event detection is performed by calculating a time derivative of acceleration from the mechanomyography output signal and comparing the calculated time derivative of acceleration to a threshold. The threshold comparison is used to determine the induced muscle event attributable to nerve depolarization caused by the provided electrical stimulus.
In embodiments that include electrical sensing for contact detection, an electrical sensor monitors an electrical parameter including a plurality of electrodes. A contact detection device coupled to the electrical sensor detects whether the sensing device is in physical contact with the subject, and the receiver uses this contact information to determine when to detect and/or provide an alert. Additional receiver processing includes filtering signal conditioning and correlating events with applied electrical stimulation to distinguish stimulator-induced responses from artifacts, and alerting is implemented using audible and visual indicators such as LEDs and buzzer.
Claims Coverage
The provided independent claims cover three related concepts: a sensing device with a mechanical accelerometer and time-derivative threshold detection of an induced muscle event; a sensing device that further includes an electrical sensor with electrodes and a contact detection device, plus receiver alerting; and a system configuration with a mechanical sensor and receiver for detecting induced muscle events using the same time-derivative threshold approach.
Time-derivative acceleration threshold detection of induced muscle event
A mechanical sensor placed in contact with the skin includes an accelerometer providing a mechanomyography output signal corresponding to an acceleration response including acceleration attributable to depolarization of a nerve innervating the muscle; the sensing device detects the induced muscle event from the mechanomyography output signal in response to a provided electrical stimulus by calculating a time derivative of acceleration and comparing the time derivative of acceleration to a threshold.
Receiver alerting with electrical contact detection electrodes
A sensing device includes a mechanical sensor providing a mechanomyography output signal for an acceleration response attributable to depolarization of a nerve innervating the muscle, and an electrical sensor with a plurality of electrodes; a contact detection device detects if the sensing device is in physical contact with the subject; a receiver in communication with the mechanical sensor and the contact detection device receives the mechanomyography output signal, detects an induced muscle event attributable to depolarization in response to a provided electrical stimulus by calculating a time derivative of acceleration and comparing it to a threshold, and provides an alert if an induced muscle event is detected.
System for detecting induced muscle event using time-derivative acceleration threshold
A system includes a mechanical sensor placed in contact with the skin providing a mechanomyography output signal corresponding to an acceleration response attributable to depolarization of a nerve innervating the muscle, and a receiver that detects an induced muscle event from the mechanomyography output signal attributable to depolarization in response to a provided electrical stimulus by calculating a time derivative of acceleration and comparing the calculated-time derivative of acceleration to a threshold.
Across the independent claims, the central inventive approach is detecting induced muscle events attributable to nerve depolarization by deriving a time derivative of acceleration from a mechanomyography output signal and comparing it to a threshold. Additional coverage includes electrical-sensor electrode-based contact detection and receiver alerting as part of the sensing system architecture.
Stated Advantages
Provides a mechanomyography-based detection of an induced muscle event attributable to nerve depolarization in response to a provided electrical stimulus using time-derivative of acceleration thresholding.
Enables receiver alerting when an induced muscle event is detected.
Uses electrode-based contact detection to detect physical contact of the sensing device with the subject.
Documented Applications
No documented applications found
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