# US 10,765,908 B1 · System and method for muscle engagement identification

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- Number: US 10,765,908 B1
- Document ID: US10765908B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 16/043,695
- Filed: 2018-07-24
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2012-12-19
- Assignees: Alert Core, Inc.
- Applicants: Alert Core, Inc.
- Inventors: Gregory Takeo Uehara
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10765908B1

## CPC

- A61B 5/1107: {Measuring contraction of parts of the body, e.g. organ or muscle}
- A63B 21/4001: {Arrangements for attaching the exercising apparatus to the user's body, e.g. belts, shoes or gloves specially adapted therefor (weights worn on the user's body A63B21/065; exoskeletons in general B25J9/0006, for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk about A61H3/00)}
- A61B 5/224: {Measuring muscular strength}
- A61B 5/4519: {Muscles (measuring muscular strength A61B5/224; using electromyography [EMG] A61B5/389)}
- A61B 5/6823: {Trunk, e.g., chest, back, abdomen, hip}
- A61B 5/6828: {Leg}
- A61B 5/6831: {Straps, bands or harnesses}
- A61B 5/742: {using visual displays (displays for heart-related electrical signals, e.g. ECG, A61B5/339)}
- A63B 24/00: Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of preceding groups; {Controlling or monitoring of exercises, sportive games, training or athletic performances}
- G16H 20/30: relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
- G16H 40/63: for local operation
- A61B 5/725: {using specific filters therefor, e.g. Kalman or adaptive filters (specific diagnostics methods using using bioelectric or biomagnetic signals A61B5/316)}
- A61B 2503/10: Athletes
- A61B 2505/09: Rehabilitation or training
- A61B 2562/0219: Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
- A63B 2230/605: used as a control parameter for the apparatus
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H)
- G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA

## Abstract

A wearable device and system has been developed to provide feedback to help users be able to engage specific muscle groups on cue, effectively exercise said muscle groups, and learn to engage said muscle groups before and through movements. Algorithms for identifying relaxed-to-engaged and engaged-to-relaxed transitions may be important for providing a positive user experience. The wearable device and system may be used for training effective use of the core and other muscles. A myokinesiometer is described to display target muscle engagement and body movement data simultaneously. The myokinesiometer facilitates specifying tests for protected and unprotected movement analyses.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for development of muscles, comprising:
a contraction sensor for detecting a muscle contraction;
an elastic bumper coupled to the contraction sensor wherein the elastic bumper is placed against the muscles;
a belt holding the contraction sensor and the elastic bumper over the muscle;
a movement sensor for detecting body movements;
a processor coupled to the contraction sensor for receiving muscle contraction signals from the contraction sensor and body movement signals from the movement sensor wherein the processor determines a muscle engagement value from the muscle contraction signals that are between zero and a 100% maximum engagement value based upon the muscle contraction signals; and
a display coupled to the processor wherein the display displays the muscle engagement value and body movement data simultaneously.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 further comprising:
a sensor housing coupled to the belt, the sensor housing containing the contraction sensor wherein the elastic bumper extends outward from a surface of the housing.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 further comprising:
an extender cap that includes a recessed interface surface that is placed over a portion of the elastic bumper, the extender cap having a height, a girth, and an exposed convex surface that is placed against the muscle.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The system of claim 3 further comprising:
a second extender cap with a second height and a second girth wherein the second height is different than the height of the extender cap and the second extender cap replaces the extender cap on the elastic bumper.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 further comprising:
an annular extender placed around a portion of the elastic bumper.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the elastic bumper is an annular structure.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 further comprising:
a non-linearity compensation program running on the processor for correcting the muscle contraction signals from the sensor wherein the non-linearity compensation program creates a linear correction of the muscle contraction signals from the contraction sensor.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6 further comprising:
a programmable gain for amplifying the muscle contraction signals after the linear correction.

### Claim 9

A system for development of a limb muscle, comprising:
a contraction sensor for detecting a limb muscle contraction;
an elastic bumper to couple the contraction sensor wherein the elastic bumper is placed against the limb muscle;
a belt holding the contraction sensor and the elastic bumper over the limb muscle;
a movement sensor for detecting body movements;
a processor coupled to the contraction sensor for receiving limb muscle contraction signals from the sensor and body movement signals from the movement sensor wherein the processor determines limb muscle engagement values that are between zero and a 100% maximum engagement value from the muscle contraction signals based upon the limb muscle contraction signal; and
a display coupled to the processor wherein the display displays limb muscle engagement value and body movement data simultaneously.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9 further comprising:
a sensor housing coupled to the belt, the sensor housing containing the contraction sensor wherein the elastic bumper extends from a surface of the housing.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9 further comprising:
an extender cap placed over a portion of the elastic bumper wherein the extender cap includes a recessed interface surface that is placed over a portion of the elastic bumper, the extender cap having an exposed convex surface that is placed against the limb muscle.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9 further comprising:
an annular extender cap placed around a portion of the elastic bumper.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9 wherein the elastic bumper is an annular structure.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9 further comprising:
a non-linearity compensation program running on the processor for correcting the core limb muscle contraction signals from the sensor wherein the non-linearity compensation program creates a linear correction of the limb muscle contraction signals from the contraction sensor.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14 further comprising:
a programmable gain for amplifying the limb muscle contraction signals after the linear correction.