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INESC TEC project evaluates lower limb pathologies

INESC TEC project evaluates lower limb pathologies

In October, INESC TEC’s Telecommunications and Multimedia Unit (UTM) and Optoelectronics and Electronic Systems Unit (UOSE) concluded project PROLIMB – Electronic Sensing for the Prophylaxis of Lower Limb Pathologies. The goal with this project was to create a system to analyse the activity of the lower limbs of humans during gait. The information collected can help doctors make decisions about therapies to adopt, and assess the development of pathologies.

In the three years of the project, the researchers developed a system for capturing myoelectric and kinematic signals in the thighs and legs in order to analyse human locomotion. The system consists of a network of sensors interconnected by conductive textiles where the central unit receives all captured signals and sends them to an external computer via Bluetooth. The processing and analysis of information collected makes it possible to detect pathologies of the lower limbs by measuring kinematic variables, such as linear and angular movement of the thighs and legs and myoelectric signals associated with the activity of the most important muscles involved in movement.

The sensor network is aggregated to a wearable piece in which the textile conductors are inserted as well as the electrodes for the myographical signs. By presenting itself as a wearable platform, the system can be used even in patients with serious physical disabilities.

The results obtained will allow new developments towards a commercial product and will support the continuation of other INESC TEC projects, such as the SIVIC, a cardiovascular monitoring project which started this year, and AAL4ALL, where the PROLIMB’s module sensors are being used.

The UTM team featured José Machado da Silva (PI), João Canas Ferreira, Vítor Grade Tavares, Fardin Derogarian, Rúben Dias, João Carvalho and Andreina Zambrano. The UOSE team included Miguel Velhote, António Salazar and Carla Borges, and finally André Whiteman Catarino, Maria José Abreu and Ana Maria Rocha of the Centre for Textile Science and Technology of the University of Minho. José Duarte, a professor at the Faculty of Sports of the University of Porto, was also involved in the project. The PROLIMB received 172,000 euros worth of funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), programme COMPETE of the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT).

The INESC TEC researchers mentioned in this article are associated with the following partner institutions: INESC Porto, FEUP and FCUP.