Muscle atrophy monitoring sensor

History

2023: Product Release

On March 17, 2023, American experts from Ohio State University announced the development of the world's first wearable sensor designed to detect and monitor muscular atrophy.

Scientists note that muscle atrophy can occur for various reasons, but is usually a side effect of a degenerative disease, aging, or, for example, a long stay in zero gravity in space. Most often, doctors use clinical technologies such as MRI to accurately assess the size and volume of muscles in certain parts of the body. But regular surveys with such tools can take a long time and be very expensive. The new device is designed to remove these restrictions.

Sensor for detecting and monitoring muscular atrophy

The developed product looks like a conventional cuff for measuring blood pressure. The novelty contains two electric coils made of special conductive threads. One of these coils acts as a transmitter, and the other as a receiver. The size of the loop formed by each coil when the cuff is applied to the limb depends on the volume of the muscle. During operation, a time-varying current is supplied to the transmitting coil, creating a magnetic flux. After that, magnetic flux is induced on the receiving coil, as a result of which a voltage is formed that can be measured.

The induced magnetic flux depends on the cross-sectional area of the coils. Thus, as the circumference of the limb increases, the total magnetic flux and voltage on the receiving coil will also increase, "said Allyanna Rice, project manager.

The device was tested on 3D-printed molds filled with ground beef to mimic a person's mid-sized calf muscle. Experiments have shown that the cuff accurately fixes small changes in volume and is able to track muscle loss up to 51%.^[1]

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