Abstract
BackgroundThe practice of continuous, long-term monitoring of human joint motion is one that finds many applications, especially in the medical and rehabilitation fields. There is a lack of acceptable devices available to perform such measurements in the field in a reliable and non-intrusive way over a long period of time. The purpose of this study was therefore to develop such a wearable joint monitoring sensor capable of continuous, day-to-day monitoring.MethodsA novel technique of incorporating conductive fibers into flexible, skin-tight fabrics surrounding a joint is developed. Resistance changes across these conductive fibers are measured, and directly related to specific single or multi-axis joint angles through the use of a non-linear predictor after an initial, one-time calibration. Because these sensors are intended for multiple uses, an automated registration algorithm has been devised using a sensitivity template matched to an array of sensors spanning the joints of interest. In this way, a sensor array can be taken off and put back on an individual for multiple uses, with the sensors automatically calibrating themselves each time.ResultsThe wearable sensors designed are comfortable, and acceptable for long-term wear in everyday settings. Results have shown the feasibility of this type of sensor, with accurate measurements of joint motion for both a single-axis knee joint and a double axis hip joint when compared to a standard goniometer used to measure joint angles. Self-registration of the sensors was found to be possible with only a few simple motions by the patient.ConclusionAfter preliminary experiments involving a pants sensing garment for lower body monitoring, it has been seen that this methodology is effective for monitoring joint motion of the hip and knee. This design therefore produces a robust, comfortable, truly wearable joint monitoring device.
Highlights
The practice of continuous, long-term monitoring of human joint motion is one that finds many applications, especially in the medical and rehabilitation fields
For the following single-axis experiments, a rotary potentiometer firmly attached to the leg was used as a goniometer, and this was the standard for which to compare joint angles
It is seen that the sensors are able to track the joint motion for frequencies as high as 2 Hz, but significantly larger errors result as the frequency is increased
Summary
The practice of continuous, long-term monitoring of human joint motion is one that finds many applications, especially in the medical and rehabilitation fields. For many types of rehabilitation treatment, it is desirable to monitor a patient's activities of daily life continuously in the home environment, outside the artificial environment of a laboratory or doctor's office [2] This type of monitoring is quite beneficial to the therapist, allowing a better assessment of (page number not for citation purposes). It is often desirable to precisely quantify the amount of walking and exercise performed during daily living, since this is a fundamental goal in improving physical functioning and life quality [3] Physiological responses, such as changes in heart rate or blood pressure, often result from changes in body position or activity, making the assessment of posture and motion an essential issue in any type of continuous, ambulatory monitoring [8]
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