A Wireless Joint Communication and Localization EMG-Sensing Concept for Movement Disorder Assessment

Real-time sensory recording of the musculoskeletal system function is an important tool for the diagnosis, treatment planning, and optimal treatment execution of diseases, such as Parkinson's disease and osteoarthritis. This article presents a new wireless joint communication and localization electromyography (EMG)-sensing concept. An on-body sensor beacon measures EMG signals and wirelessly transmits them. At the same time, the spatial position and movement of the beacon is determined with high precision in real time using these transmitted radio signals. The seamless integration of multiple sensors avoids the need to synchronize and individually set up multiple independently operating sensors. An outstanding feature of the radio localization approach is that it does not require proprietary ultra-wideband signals or complicated time synchronization protocols, allowing for small and energy-efficient implementation. To demonstrate this novel concept, a wireless 3D-localizable EMG sensor was developed and experimentally evaluated. This new type of sensing concept allows, for the first time, the time-synchronous measurement of muscle activity and the underlying movement of the associated body part.