Wearable Conductive Fiber Sensors for Multi-Axis Human Joint Angle Measurements
Background: The 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 o...
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| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BioMed Central Ltd
2010
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/58760 https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3155-6223 |
| _version_ | 1826218142133649408 |
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| author | Gibbs, Peter T. Asada, Harry |
| author2 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering |
| author_facet | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering Gibbs, Peter T. Asada, Harry |
| author_sort | Gibbs, Peter T. |
| collection | MIT |
| description | Background: The 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. Methods: A 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. Results: The 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. Conclusion: After 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. |
| first_indexed | 2024-09-23T17:14:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | mit-1721.1/58760 |
| institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-09-23T17:14:33Z |
| publishDate | 2010 |
| publisher | BioMed Central Ltd |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | mit-1721.1/587602022-09-30T00:40:32Z Wearable Conductive Fiber Sensors for Multi-Axis Human Joint Angle Measurements Gibbs, Peter T. Asada, Harry Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering Asada, Harry Gibbs, Peter T. Background: The 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. Methods: A 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. Results: The 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. Conclusion: After 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. National Science Foundation (Grant: NSF 0097700) 2010-09-29T17:46:51Z 2010-09-29T17:46:51Z 2005-03 2004-12 2010-09-03T16:22:48Z Article http://purl.org/eprint/type/JournalArticle 1743-0003 http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/58760 Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation. 2005 Mar 02;2(1):7 15740632 https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3155-6223 en http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1743-0003-2-7 Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation Creative Commons Attribution http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0 Gibbs et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. application/pdf BioMed Central Ltd BioMed Central Ltd |
| spellingShingle | Gibbs, Peter T. Asada, Harry Wearable Conductive Fiber Sensors for Multi-Axis Human Joint Angle Measurements |
| title | Wearable Conductive Fiber Sensors for Multi-Axis Human Joint Angle Measurements |
| title_full | Wearable Conductive Fiber Sensors for Multi-Axis Human Joint Angle Measurements |
| title_fullStr | Wearable Conductive Fiber Sensors for Multi-Axis Human Joint Angle Measurements |
| title_full_unstemmed | Wearable Conductive Fiber Sensors for Multi-Axis Human Joint Angle Measurements |
| title_short | Wearable Conductive Fiber Sensors for Multi-Axis Human Joint Angle Measurements |
| title_sort | wearable conductive fiber sensors for multi axis human joint angle measurements |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/58760 https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3155-6223 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT gibbspetert wearableconductivefibersensorsformultiaxishumanjointanglemeasurements AT asadaharry wearableconductivefibersensorsformultiaxishumanjointanglemeasurements |