Methods and apparatus for improved signal robustness for a wearable neuromuscular recording device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11045137-B2
Application number	US-201916516777-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 19, 2019
Priority date	Jul 19, 2018
Publication date	Jun 29, 2021
Grant date	Jun 29, 2021

Abstract

Arrangements for improving neuromuscular recording electrode contact with a body surface are described. According to some aspects, a sensor assembly may include a housing and one or more electrodes that are moveable relative to the housing. The electrodes may rotate and/or translate relative to the housing and/or have at least two degrees of freedom relative to the housing. The sensor may include a spring element that stores potential energy and biases the electrodes toward a starting position in which the electrodes extend at least partially out of the sensor housing. In some embodiments, application of a contact force to one or more of the electrodes of the sensor compresses the spring element, causing the spring element to store potential energy.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A wearable bioelectrical sensing device comprising:
a plurality of electrodes including a first electrode, a second electrode, a third electrode, and a fourth electrode;
a first housing containing at least a portion of the first electrode and at least a portion of the second electrode, the first housing including at least one angled portion that guides one or more corresponding angled portions of the first and second electrodes into a starting position within the first housing, wherein the first and second electrodes are free to translate along the X, Y, and Z axes within the first housing, the X axis being oriented along the width of the first and second electrodes, the Y axis being oriented along the depth of the first and second electrodes, and the Z axis being oriented along the height of the first and second electrodes;
a second housing containing at least a portion of the third electrode and at least a portion of the fourth electrode, each of the third and fourth electrodes being configured to rotate relative to the second housing,
wherein the first housing and the second housing are coupled to each other in an arrangement that enables the first, second, third, and fourth electrodes to contact the body part of a user when the wearable bioelectrical sensing device is worn around the body part of the user;

a first flexible circuit electrically connecting the first electrode to the second electrode within the first housing;
a second flexible circuit electrically connecting the third electrode to the fourth electrode within the second housing; and
a spring element configured to bias the first electrode toward the starting position of the first electrode.

2. The wearable bioelectrical sensing device of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the spring element is contained within the first housing.

3. The wearable bioelectrical sensing device of claim 1 , wherein the spring element comprises foam or neoprene.

4. The wearable bioelectrical sensing device of claim 1 , wherein the first housing defines an opening and, in the starting position, the first electrode extends through the opening of the first housing.

5. The wearable bioelectrical sensing device of claim 1 , wherein a minimum specified distance between the first housing and the first electrode is determined based on an expected range of motion for the first electrode.

6. The wearable bioelectrical sensing device of claim 1 , wherein an opening in the first housing allows the first electrode to rotate relative to the first housing about the X and Y axes.

7. The wearable bioelectrical sensing device of claim 6 , wherein a post in the first housing prohibits the first electrode from rotating about the Z axis relative to the spring element.

8. The wearable bioelectrical sensing device of claim 7 , wherein the first housing defines an opening and, in the starting position, the first electrode extends through the opening of the first housing.

9. The wearable bioelectrical sensing device of claim 1 , further comprising a post attached to the first electrode and extending through the spring element.

10. The wearable bioelectrical sensing device of claim 9 , wherein the post is integrally formed with the first electrode as a single, monolithic component.

11. The wearable bioelectrical sensing device of claim 1 , wherein a first specified range of movement exists between the first electrode relative to the first housing and a second specified range of movement exists between the third electrode relative to the second housing, and wherein the first specified range of movement of the first electrode relative to the first housing is different than the second specified range of movement of the third electrode relative to the second housing.

12. The wearable bioelectrical sensing device of claim 1 , wherein a cross section of the first electrode has a shape selected from the group consisting of a trapezoidal shape, a rectangular shape, a circular shape, and an elliptical shape.

13. The wearable bioelectrical sensing device of claim 12 , wherein the first electrode has a curved contact surface.

14. The wearable bioelectrical sensing device of claim 1 , further comprising a band coupled to the first housing and the second housing to provide the arrangement that enables the first, second, third, and fourth electrode to contact the body part of the user when the wearable bioelectrical sensing device is worn around the body part of the user.

15. The wearable bioelectrical sensing device of claim 1 , further comprising a hinge coupling the first housing and the second housing to provide the arrangement that enables the first, second, third, and fourth electrode to contact the body part of the user when the wearable bioelectrical sensing device is worn around the body part of the user.

16. A wearable bioelectrical sensing device, comprising:
a plurality of electrodes including a first electrode, a second electrode, a third electrode, and a fourth electrode;
a first housing containing at least a portion of the first electrode and at least a portion of the second electrode, each of the first and second electrodes being movable relative to the first housing with at least one degree of freedom, the first housing including least one angled portion that guides one or more corresponding angled portions of the first and second electrodes into a starting position within the first housing, wherein the first and second electrodes are free to translate along the X, Y, and Z axes within the first housing, the X axis being oriented along the width of the first and second electrodes, the Y axis being oriented along the depth of the first and second electrodes, and the Z axis being oriented along the height of the first and second electrodes;
a second housing containing at least a portion of the third electrode and at least a portion of the fourth electrode, each of the third and fourth electrodes being movable relative to the second housing with at least one degree of freedom such that each of the third electrode and the fourth electrode is movable from a starting position to a different position relative to the second housing,
wherein the first housing and the second housing are coupled to each other in an arrangement that enables the first, second, third, and fourth electrode to contact the body part of a user when the wearable bioelectrical sensing device is worn around the body part of the user;

a first flexible circuit electrically connecting the first electrode to the second electrode within the first housing;
a second flexible circuit electrically connecting the third electrode to the fourth electrode within the second housing; and
a spring element configured to bias the first electrode toward the starting position of the first electrode.

17. The wearable bioelectrical sensing device of claim 16 , wherein an opening in the first housing allows the first electrode to move relative to the first housing with five degrees of freedom, and wherein the five degrees of freedom comprise translation along the X axis, the Y axis, and the Z axis, and rotation about the X and Y axis, wherein the X axis, the Y axis, and the Z axis are perpendicular to one another.

18. The wearable bioelectrical sensing device of claim 16 , further comprising a hinge coupling the first housing and the second housing to provide the arrangement that enables the first, second, third, and fourth electrode to contact the body part of the user when the wearable bioelectrical sensing device is worn around the body part of the user.

Assignees

• Facebook Tech Llc

Inventors

• Barbre Curtis
• Reid Jonathan
• Guo Ning
• Pool Brandon

Classifications

• A61B5/389 Primary

  Electromyography [EMG] · CPC title

• A61B5/02438

  with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient · CPC title

• A61B2560/0406

  specially shaped apparatus housings · CPC title

• A61B5/6801

  specially adapted to be attached to or worn on the body surface · CPC title

• A61B5/6824 Primary

  Arm or wrist · CPC title