Institute of Health Care Engineering with European Testing Center of Medical Devices, Graz University of Technology, Stremayrgasse 16/II, 8010 Graz, Austria.
Institute of Sport Science, University of Graz, Mozartgasse 14, 8010 Graz, Austria.
Sensors (Basel). 2019 Oct 5;19(19):4316. doi: 10.3390/s19194316.
Movement science investigating muscle and tendon functions during locomotion utilizes commercial ultrasound imagers built for medical applications. These limit biomechanics research due to their form factor, range of view, and spatio-temporal resolution. This review systematically investigates the technical aspects of applying ultrasound as a research tool to investigate human and animal locomotion. It provides an overview on the ultrasound systems used and of their operating parameters. We present measured fascicle velocities and discuss the results with respect to operating frame rates during recording. Furthermore, we derive why muscle and tendon functions should be recorded with a frame rate of at least 150 Hz and a range of view of 250 mm. Moreover, we analyze why and how the development of better ultrasound observation devices at the hierarchical level of muscles and tendons can support biomechanics research. Additionally, we present recent technological advances and their possible application. We provide a list of recommendations for the development of a more advanced ultrasound sensor system class targeting biomechanical applications. Looking to the future, mobile, ultrafast ultrasound hardware technologies create immense opportunities to expand the existing knowledge of human and animal movement.
运动科学在研究运动中的肌肉和肌腱功能时，使用专为医学应用而设计的商用超声成像仪。由于其外形、视野范围和时空分辨率的限制，这些成像仪限制了生物力学研究的发展。本综述系统地研究了将超声作为研究工具应用于研究人类和动物运动的技术方面。它概述了所使用的超声系统及其操作参数。我们展示了肌束速度的测量值，并根据记录过程中的工作帧率讨论了结果。此外，我们还推导出了为什么肌肉和肌腱功能的记录需要至少 150 Hz 的帧率和 250mm 的视野范围。此外，我们还分析了为什么以及如何在肌肉和肌腱的层次上开发更好的超声观察设备可以支持生物力学研究。此外，我们还介绍了最新的技术进步及其可能的应用。我们为开发更先进的、针对生物力学应用的超声传感器系统类别提供了一系列建议。展望未来，移动、超快速的超声硬件技术为扩展人类和动物运动的现有知识创造了巨大的机会。
