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posted by Fnord666 on Saturday April 22 2017, @06:12PM   Printer-friendly
from the advances-in-proctology dept.

Everyone experiences stiff muscles from time to time, whether after a rigorous workout, in cold weather, or after falling asleep in an unusual position. People with cerebral palsy, stroke and multiple sclerosis, however, live with stiff muscles every single day, making everyday tasks such as extending an arm extremely difficult and painful for them. And since there isn't a foolproof way to objectively rate muscle stiffness, these patients often receive doses of medication that are too low or too high.

Now, an interdisciplinary team of researchers at the University of California San Diego and Rady Children's Hospital has developed new wearable sensors and robotics technology that could be used to accurately measure muscle stiffness during physical exams. "Our goal is to create a system that could augment existing medical procedures by providing a consistent, objective rating," said Harinath Garudadri, a research scientist at the university's Qualcomm Institute and the project's lead investigator.

"Many clinical exams and procedures are very subjective and rely on measurements that are done with a physician's hands," said Andrew Skalsky, director of the division of Rehabilitation Medicine at Rady Children's Hospital. "We often make major medical decisions and diagnoses based on touch and feel. With this technology, we can start to develop objective measurements for subjective processes."


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  • (Score: 2) by kaszz on Saturday April 22 2017, @06:58PM

    by kaszz (4211) on Saturday April 22 2017, @06:58PM (#498020) Journal

    Here's the key to how it works:

    Taped onto the palm are more than 300 pressure sensors that measure the amount of force required to move a patient's limb. A motion sensor taped on the back measures how fast the limb is being moved.

    The data produced is then transmitted via USB and most importantly the next keyword is that it's integrated. So pressure + speed => integration => muscle stiffness readout. Time for DIY?

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