Comparison of muscle activity patterns between outdoor cycling and indoor trainers

Most of the characterisation of muscle activation patterns while cycling has been performed using indoor trainers. Little research has analysed whether the same pattern is used when cycling outdoors in road conditions. Therefore, this study compares lower limb muscle activity during cycling outdoors and using indoor trainers. Eight trained...

Brain-computer interface-based feedback to enhance motor rehabilitation

The central nervous system (CNS) exhibits remarkable plasticity throughout life. The physiological changes in the CNS that occur due to plasticity allow us to perform new skills and old ones more effectively and efficiently over time.<br/><br/>Recently, it has been demonstrated that plasticity can be used to help people recover motor function...

The MyoGrab Hand: Development of a functional low cost myoelectric upper limb 3D printed prosthesis

Background: Last decades myoelectric prostheses have become more usable, functional and reliable. Yet, the cost of myoelectric upper limb prostheses are still a hindering factor of widespread usage of the prostheses. In developing countries, where the demand for prostheses is relatively higher, commercial myoelectric prostheses are out of reach...

Establishing the capacity of the muscles around the elbow joint to compensate for the external valgus moment during a fastball pitch: An electromyographic study

Baseball pitching is a movement wherein an external valgus moment around the elbow joint regularly causes an ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) injury. A proven relationship between the muscle activation around the elbow joint and its capacity to compensate for the external valgus moment during a baseball pitch allows predicting the likelihood of a...

Separating background activity from noise in EMG using a neuromuscular model

To objectively diagnose the severity of spasticity, it is important to measure the muscle activity accurately. Filtered EMG has an offset above zero which is part noise and part background activity. The goal of this study is to separate these two parts, using a non-linear neuromuscular ankle model. The model uses positional and EMG data as...

Quantifying directed nonlinear coupling between brain and muscle activity: a NARX model-based approach

Relevance: To enhance our understanding of motor impairments (e.g. post-stroke or due to Parkinson's Disease), objective measures for communication in the nervous system are required. By applying system identification techniques to oscillations in brain and muscle activity, we can objectively quantify the coupling between these areas.<br/><br/...

Flex and relax: An exploration on headrest design for sleeping and watching IFE in premium aircraft seats

This master graduation thesis explores the possibilities for improving the comfort experience for watching in flight entertainment (IFE) and sleeping in a business class (BC) and premium economy class (PEC) aircraft seat trough (mainly) headrest design. <br/>Experimental and extensive literature research on sleeping and watching IFE in transit...

Estimating ankle muscle parameters. Developing a tendon dynamics included neuromechanical muscle model and expanding the measurement protocols to improve ankle muscle parameter estimation accuracy

Current neuromechanical muscle models are unable to accurately estimate both passive and active muscle components. In this study it is investigated to increase the neuromechanical parameter estimations by using an input-rich measurement protocol and by expanding the ankle muscle model with tendon dynamics. New measurement protocols are developed...

Glove effects on forearm muscle activity in a windsurfing-like task

Windsurfers currently do not wear neoprene gloves when sailing in cold temperatures, as discomfort rapidly develops in the forearms when doing so. Lack of good protection against low temperatures means the hands get painfully cold and numb, limiting sailing time and pleasure. ElectroMyoGraphy (EMG) measurements were done on four forearm muscles...

Feed-forward torque control for plantar flexion support

Recent studies suggest that a reduction of the plantar-flexion muscle EMG can improve the efficiency of human locomotion. In this study, an attempt is made to reduce the maximal EMG of the gastrocnemius medialis and soleus by providing a feed-forward torque support around the ankle. The strategy only requires the ankle kinematics to define the...

Corticomuscular communication study by using current source density analysis

Corticomuscular communication during wrist motor tasks was investigated in this study. EEG signals from the sensorimotor cortex and EMG data from the reflexive carpi radialis and extensor carpi radialis muscles were recorded from five healthy subjects while performing visual-motor force tasks, with and without perturbation on the wrist....

Human motion sensor based on Functional Electrical Stimulation and Electromyography analysis

Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) is used to help patient to recover or improve movement of their limbs after a spinal cord injury, a stroke or other neurological disorders effecting their motor system. The advance in technology in recent years has provided new possibilities for more accurate and better applications of FES. One of the...

Predicting muscle forces in the shoulder by constraining the inverse optimisation with EMG and a forward muscle model

The Dutch Shoulder and Elbow Model (DSEM) is a musculoskeletal model of the shoulder that can be used to predict internal shoulder loading (muscle forces, joint reaction forces, etc.). The DSEM uses an inverse optimisation method to predict muscle forces from net joint moments. In this study two new modes are presented that constrain the inverse...