Muscle activity observation apparatus and muscle activity observation method
AssigneeMurata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
InventorsAtsushi Naito, Naoki Kawara, Yutaka Takamaru
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Abstract
A muscle activity observation apparatus that includes a sensor module and a detection module. The sensor module includes a piezoelectric sensor. Moreover, the piezoelectric sensor has an output that changes in accordance with a tremor of a tendon or a muscle, and an output that changes in accordance with contraction and relaxation of the tendon or the muscle. A detector of the detection module detects an activity state of the tendon or the muscle using a tremor signal and a contraction-relaxation signal output from the piezoelectric sensor.
Claims33
A muscle activity detection apparatus comprising:
- a first sensor configured to generate an output signal that changes based on a tremor of a tendon or a muscle;
- a second sensor configured to generate an output signal that changes based on contraction and relaxation of the tendon or the muscle;
- and
- a detector configured to detect whether the tendon or the muscle is a state where isotonic contraction is occurring or a state where isometric contraction is occurring based on the respective output signals of the first sensor and the second sensor.
, wherein the single sensor is a piezoelectric sensor.
The muscle activity detection apparatus according to
A muscle activity detection apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of sensors configured to generate respective output signals that change based on a tremor of a tendon or a muscle;
- and
- a living body support coupled to the plurality of sensors and having a shape configured to fit an outer shape of a living body that includes the tendon or the muscle,
- wherein the living body support includes a first portion that is configured to be attached to a foot of a human body and that covers an ankle,
- wherein the first portion is constructed to have a tubular shape when attached to the foot of the human body, and
- wherein the plurality of sensors are further configured to detect an activity state of at least one of an Achilles tendon, a soleus muscle and a gastrocnemius muscle, and at least one of a tibialis anterior muscle tendon, tibialis anterior muscle, a peroneus longus muscle tendon and a peroneus longus muscle.
A muscle activity detection method comprising:
- detecting a tremor of a tendon or a muscle and generating a tremor signal in response to the detecting of the tremor;
- detecting contraction and relaxation of the tendon or the muscle and generating a contraction-relaxation signal in response to the detecting of the contraction and relaxation;
- and
- detecting whether the tendon or the muscle is a state where isotonic contraction is occurring or a state where isometric contraction is occurring based on the tremor signal and the contraction-relaxation signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.