IEEE Int Conf Rehabil Robot. 2022 Jul;2022:1-5. doi: 10.1109/ICORR55369.2022.9896582.
Several methods have been used to quantify human movement at different levels, from coordinated multi joint movements to those taking place at the single muscle level. These methods are developed either in order to allow us to interact with computers and machines, or to use such technologies for aiding rehabilitation among those with mobility impairments or movement disorders. Human machine interfaces typically rely on some existing human movement ability and measure it using motion tracking or inertial measurement units, while the rehabilitation applications may require us to measure human motor intent. Surface or implanted electrodes, electromyography, electroencephalography, and brain computer interfaces are beneficial in this regard, but have their own shortcomings. We have previously shown feasibility of using ultrasound imaging (Sonomyography) to infer human motor intent and allow users to control external biomechatronic devices such as prosthetics. Here, we asked users to freely move their hand in three different movement patterns, measuring their actual joint angles and passively computing their Sonomyographic output signal. We found a high correlation between these two signals, demonstrating that the Sonomyography signal is not only user-controlled and stable, but it is closely linked with the user's actual movement level. These results could help design wearable rehabilitation or human computer interaction devices based on Sonomyography to decode human motor intent.
已经有几种方法被用于在不同层面上量化人体运动,从协调的多关节运动到发生在单个肌肉层面的运动。这些方法的开发目的或是为了让我们能够与计算机和机器交互,或是为了利用这些技术来帮助那些行动不便或运动障碍的人进行康复。人机界面通常依赖于一些现有的人的运动能力,并使用运动跟踪或惯性测量单元来测量它,而康复应用可能需要我们来测量人体的运动意图。表面或植入电极、肌电图、脑电图和脑机接口在这方面很有帮助,但也有其自身的缺点。我们之前已经证明了使用超声成像(超声肌图)来推断人体运动意图并允许用户控制外部生物机械设备(如假肢)的可行性。在这里,我们要求用户自由地以三种不同的运动模式移动他们的手,测量他们的实际关节角度,并被动地计算他们的超声肌图输出信号。我们发现这两个信号之间具有高度相关性,这表明超声肌图信号不仅是用户可控且稳定的,而且与用户的实际运动水平密切相关。这些结果有助于设计基于超声肌图的可穿戴式康复或人机交互设备,以解码人体运动意图。