A user-friendly wearable single-channel EOG-based human-computer interface for cursor control

This paper presents a novel wearable single-channel electrooculography (EOG) based human-computer interface (HCI) with a simple system design and robust performance. In the proposed system, EOG signals for control are generated from double eye blinks, collected by a commercial wearable device (the NeuroSky MindWave headset), and then converted into a sequence of commands that can control cursor navigations and actions. The EOG-based cursor control system was tested on 8 subjects in indoor or outdoor environment, and the average accuracy is 84.42% for indoor uses and 71.50% for outdoor uses. Compared with other existing EOG-based HCI systems, this system is highly user-friendly and does not require any training. Therefore, this system has the potential to provide an easy-to-use and cheap assistive technique for locked-in patients who have lost their main body muscular abilities but with proper eye-condition. © 2015 IEEE.published_or_final_versio

Efficient Implementation and Design of A New Single-Channel Electrooculography-based Human-Machine Interface System

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ICA-based ECG removal from surface electromyography and its effect on low back pain assessment

Surface electromyography (SEMG) has been used for muscle function examination in neuromuscular disorders. The utility of SEMG in Low Back Pain (LBP) assessment was questioned because of low sensitivity. Artifacts and noise contamination may distort the SEMG measurement in LBP assessment. The purposes of this study were to develop an ICA-based ECG removal method to obtain clean SEMG signal from back muscles, and to demonstrate the relative effect of ECG on back muscles SEMG parameters and their sensitivity on low back pain (LBP) assessment. This study compared surface EMG measurements on paraspinal muscles from 10 normal and 10 LBP patients during sitting and standing. The raw SEMG signal was processed by independent component analysis (ICA) to remove the ECG contamination. Then, median frequency (MF) of both raw and denoised paraspinal SEMG were calculated respectively. The MF of healthy and LBP groups before and after ECG removal were compared separately to evaluate the effect of ECG contamination. Also, difference between MF in subject with and without LBP were compared in raw and denoise condition to study the ECG effect on LBP assessment sensitivity. Significant MF increases (p<0.05) were founded after ECG noise removal in all tests. For LBP assessment, improvements in discriminative ability, in terms of parametric difference, were seen in MF parameter during sitting (mean difference between normal and patient increase from: Left: 8 to 45Hz; Right 11 to 53Hz) and standing (mean difference between normal and patient increase from: Left: -10 to 6Hz; Right 8 to 14Hz) respectively. ECG contaminations showed significantly influence on SEMG measurements in both normal and LBP patients. Our study has demonstrated the ability of the proposed ICA-based technique in ECG removal, which leads to an improvement in LBP assessment sensitivity. ©2007 IEEE.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Effect of electrocardiographic contamination on surface electromyography assessment of back muscles

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the relative effect of electrocardiography (ECG) on back muscle surface electromyography (SEMG) parameters and their corresponding sensitivity in low back pain (LBP) assessment. Back muscle SEMG activities were recorded from 17 healthy subjects and 18 chronic LBP patients under static postures (straight sitting and upright standing), and dynamic action (flexion-extension). ECG cancellation based on independent component analysis (ICA) method was performed. Root mean square (RMS) and median frequency (MF) of raw and denoised SEMG data were computed respectively. Multiple comparisons were then performed. A consistent trend of change (increased MF and decreased RMS) followed ECG removal was noticed. In particular, in SEMG measurements under static postures, a significant decrease in RMS (p < 0.05) and increase in MF (p < 0.05) were found in all recording muscle groups. Level of corruption by ECG artifacts on SEMG measurements was found to be more serious and prominent in static postures than that in dynamic action. After ECG removal, significant improvements in the ability of SEMG to discriminate LBP patients from healthy subjects were seen in RMS amplitude recorded while standing (p < 0.05) and MF in all measuring conditions (p < 0.05). This study provides a more complete understanding on the relative effect of ECG contamination on back muscles SEMG parameters and LBP assessment. © 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Trabalho Livre nº 39 - Tratamento de Úlceras Por Pressão numa Visão Holística

Apesar dos avanços na prevenção e tratamento das úlceras por pressão nos últimos anos, essas lesões representam um problema nos cuidados de saúde, especialmente em pessoas com alterações do sistema imunitário e sensibilidade reduzida.N/

Mapping surface EMG activation patterns with neuromuscular disorders by an implanted multi-channel electrode array

This preliminary study aims to testify the utility of a new surface EMG measurement technique using an implanted multi-channel electrode array, in characterization of different neuromuscular pathologies in animal models. Obvious difference in muscle activation patterns were found in surface EMG topographies of different conditions of neuromuscular systems. Further research is needed to explain the relationship between the surface EMG topographical changes and the underlying pathological status. © 2008 IEEE.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Effects of Low Back Pain on Back Muscle Coordination: a Surface EMG Study

Poster presentationSession: SICOT - SpineAmong different pathologic conditions that give rise to Low Back Pain (LBP), abnormal back muscle contraction strategy was suspected to be a major contributory factor. However, studies in this area are few. The purposes of this study were to establish a reliable and objective assessment method which provides information on back muscles coordination during dynamic motion, and to testify the possible application of this method in LBP rehabilitation assessment. Back muscle surface electromyography (SEMG) was measured by an array of SEMG electrodes (7x3) during forward bending. The root mean square (RMS) of the SEMG signal was calculated as a function of both position and time to produce the SEMG topography. The SEMG topography of 20 healthy subjects served as the normal database and produced a reproducible activation pattern. SEMG topography of the 15 LBP patients presented varied activation pattern and were different from that of normal pattern. Corrective changes of contraction strategies revealed in SEMG topography patterns were found in some of the LBP patients after rehabilitation. In this study, the effectiveness of LBP rehabilitation was uncovered by SEMG topography, with a visible monitoring of rehabilitation progress. With this method, a practical and objective assessment for LBP rehabilitation is achievable

Mapping surface EMG activation patterns with neuromuscular disorders by an implanted multi-channel electrode array

This preliminary study aims to testify the utility of a new surface EMG measurement technique using an implanted multi-channel electrode array, in characterization of different neuromuscular pathologies in animal models. Obvious difference in muscle activation patterns were found in surface EMG topographies of different conditions of neuromuscular systems. Further research is needed to explain the relationship between the surface EMG topographical changes and the underlying pathological status. © 2008 IEEE.link_to_subscribed_fulltex