Patent Application
20200390359
Embodiments of the disclosure relate generally to muscle fascicle measurement, and more specifically, relate to determining muscle fascicle characteristics.
A muscle fascicle, or bundle of skeletal muscle fibers, can be examined to determine certain characteristics (e.g., activity, fascicle length, pennation angles, thickness, etc.) to determine whether a patient's muscle is functioning properly or otherwise diagnose a medical issue. Health practitioners use an electromyography (EMG) test to evaluate muscle health and a nerve conduction velocity (NCV) test to evaluate the nerve health associated with the muscle. In some cases, a needle is inserted into the patient's muscle to test the muscle health as part of the invasive EMG test. In other cases, surface EMG is employed, which is a non-invasive procedure that utilizes electrodes to send pulses to muscles and receive feedback.
Conventionally, health practitioners apply gel to patients (e.g., during a non-invasive measurement session), specifically around the treatment area to moisturize the skin and reduce the skin resistivity. Skin resistivity affects the accuracy of measurements during tests, and efficiency when an external pulse is applied.
Currently, health professionals place the electrodes on the targeted area based on their experience about the anatomy and patients' conditions. Moreover, placement of the electrodes can also vary from session to session. When users need to use the electrodes outside of the practitioner's supervision, users have to estimate or guess where to optimally place the electrodes. Furthermore, placing electrodes correctly is especially important when practitioners are targeting specific muscle fibers. Since each patient's condition is different, general guidelines cannot assume pre-defined muscle fibers locations and thus still need to rely on the practitioners' experiences. Some conventional devices include electrodes with pre-defined locations (e.g., by sewing in place or using precut holes to a flexible object or a cloth), which reserves each electrode in place. However, it is difficult to set-up and reconfigure. Furthermore, in such cases, health practitioners are limited to taking measurements according to the pre-defined locations.
The present disclosure will be understood more fully from the detailed description given below and from the accompanying drawings of various embodiments of the disclosure.
Embodiments of the disclosed subject matter are described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. The disclosed subject matter may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the illustrated embodiments. In the drawings, the size and relative sizes of layers and regions may be exaggerated for clarity. Like reference numerals in the drawings denote like elements.
Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to systems and methods for muscle fascicle measurement. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, muscle fascicle measurement can be identified using a measurement device with electrodes placed on one or more muscle of a user's body. The electrodes may include electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) electrodes, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) electrodes, and Surface Electromyography (sEMG) electrodes. Stimulating signals may be transmitted by the TENS/EMS electrodes placed along a muscle fascicle belonging to a particular muscle to produce a muscle response that is sensed by the sEMG electrodes placed on the particular muscle. Signals sensed by the sEMG electrodes may be further processed to determine characteristics of the muscle fascicle on which the measurement device is placed and a nerve associated with the muscle fascicle. Additionally, embodiments of the disclosure enhance the environment surrounding the muscle fascicles measurements by adding localization and gel dispensing mechanisms. Hereinafter, embodiments of the disclosed subject matter are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
In general, the computing device 120, network server 130, database 140, and measurement device 150 may be connected to each other through one or more networks. The one or more networks may include and implement commonly-defined network architectures including those defined by standards bodies, such as the Global System for Mobile communication (GSM) Association, the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), and the Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) forum. For example, the one or more networks may implement one or more of a GSM architecture, a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) architecture, a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) architecture, and an evolution of UMTS referred to as Long Term Evolution (LTE). The one or more networks may implement a WiMAX architecture defined by the WiMAX forum or a Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) architecture. The one or more networks may include, for instance, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), the Internet, a cloud network that provides Internet services and other network-related functions, e.g., storing data, a virtual LAN (VLAN), an enterprise LAN, a layer 3 virtual private network (VPN), an enterprise IP network, or any combination thereof. The one or more networks may include access points, storage systems, cloud systems, modules, one or more databases including user database 140, and one or more servers including network server 130.
The computing device 120 may be connected to the measurement device 150A and server 130 wirelessly or through a wired connection. For example, in some embodiments, the computing device 120 and the measurement device 150 may be connected through one or more short-range wireless networks such as Bluetooth, Infrared, or Zigbee networks. In some embodiments, wired connections such as optical cables, fiber optic cables, universal serial bus (USB) cables, or conductive wires may be used to transport data between the computing device 120, measurement device 150, and/or the server 130.
In general, the computing device 120 may be any suitable electronic device capable of communicating with other electronic devices through wired or wireless networks. Examples of the computing device 120 include, but are not limited to, a laptop, a desktop, an electronic pad, a mobile phone, a smart phone, a smart television, and a personal digital assistant. The computing device 120 may include input/output interfaces, display devices, storage devices, processors, and other computer components for executing operations performed by the computing device 120 according to the embodiments. For example, the storage device may store code for an algorithm containing instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to perform one or more operations.
The network server 130 may include any suitable computing device coupled to the one or more networks, including but not limited to a personal computer, a server computer, a series of server computers, a mini computer, and a mainframe computer, or combinations thereof. The network server 130 may also include a web server, or a series of servers, running a network operating system, examples of which may include but are not limited to Microsoft® Windows® Server, Novell® NetWare®, or Linux®. The network server 130 may be used for and/or provide cloud and/or network computing. Although not shown in the figures, the server may have connections to external systems providing messaging functionality such as e-mail, SMS messaging, text messaging, and other functionalities, such as advertising services, search services, etc.
In some implementations, the network server 130 may send and receive data using any technique for sending and receiving information including, but not limited to, using a scripting language, a remote procedure call, an email, an application programming interface (API), Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) methods, Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA), HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol), REST (Representational State Transfer), any interface for software components to communicate with each other, using any other known technique for sending information from a one device to another, or any combination thereof.
System 100 may also include user database 140, which may include a cloud database or a database managed by a database management system (DBMS). A DBMS may be implemented as an engine that controls organization, storage, management, and retrieval of data in a database. DBMSs may provide the ability to query, backup and replicate data, enforce rules, provide security, do computation, perform change and access logging, and automate optimization. A DBMS may typically include a modeling language, data structure, database query language, and transaction mechanism. The modeling language may be used to define the schema of each database in the DBMS, according to the database model, which may include a hierarchical model, network model, relational model, object model, or some other applicable known or convenient organization. Data structures may include fields, records, files, objects, and any other applicable known or convenient structures for storing data. A DBMS may also include metadata about the data that is stored.
In some embodiments, the user database 140 may include profiles of different users in which user information may be stored. For example, the user database 140 may store data indicative of user 110's medical history, data obtained from the measurement device 150A, demographic information, family medical history and additional information, such as, for example, the name, age, and address of the user 110. Data stored in the user database 140 may be treated in one or more ways before it is stored or used, so that personally identifiable information may be removed if desired by the user. For example, user 110 may specify the type of user information that can or cannot be stored in the user database 140. As a result, user information that does not conform to the user 110 approved information need not be stored in the user database 140 or is removed from the user database 140. In an embodiment, the user information may be stored in a manner such that personally identifiable information is approved by the user 110 for storage in his or her respective profile in the user database 140.
In some embodiments, information may be abstracted rather than removed from the user database 140 in response to user selection of information to omit. For example, if a user does not want to specify the user's zip code of 22310, the user's zip code may be abstracted to be “Virginia.”
As described in further detail below, the system 100 shown in
According to embodiments, certain data processing operations described below in connection with
The measurement device 150A and components within the measurement device 150A may be implemented in various different shapes and sizes. As shown in
In an embodiment, a power cable may be connected to the measurement device 150A to provide supply voltage and current to the electronic components within the measurement device 150A. Details of the electronic components are described with respect to
In some embodiments, the stimulating electrodes 410A, 410B, and 410C may be EMS and/or TENS electrodes that are placed on the skin of the user 110. In particular, each of the stimulating electrodes 410A, 410B, and 410C may be placed on different muscle fascicles of the same muscle group. With reference to
In some embodiments, the sensing electrodes 435A, 435B, 430A, and 430B may be sEMG electrodes that are placed on the skin of the user 110, e.g., on different parts of the muscle group on which the stimulating electrodes 410A, 410B, and 410C were disposed. The sEMG electrodes 435A, 435B, 430A, and 430B may be connected to and controlled by the sEMG controller 620 of
In some embodiments, the sensing electrodes 435A, 435B, 430A, and 430B may be divided into pairs, such as the sensing electrode pair 435A and 435B, and sensing electrode pair 430A and 430B. A voltage potential difference may exist between electrodes in each pair of sensing electrodes when a signal is detected by the sensing electrode pair. In some cases, each pair of sensing electrodes 435A, 435B, 430A, and 430B may be arranged to be in a linear direction in parallel to the direction that the muscle fascicles in a muscle extend. In general, each electrode in a pair of sensing electrodes 435A, 435B, 430A, and 430B may be located on any part of a muscle group and is spaced apart from the other electrode in the pair by a determined distance, e.g., approximately 40 mm.
In general, when signals are transmitted by stimulating electrodes 410A, 410B, and 410C, the signal(s) may be transmitted through one or more nerves along the muscle fascicles on which the stimulating electrodes 410A, 410B, and 410C are placed. Transmission of the one or more signals along one or more nerves in a muscle may cause the muscle to contract, thereby generating electrical activity within the muscle, which may be measured by the sensing electrodes 435A, 435B, 430A, and 430B. Since sensing electrodes 435A and 435B may be located closer to the stimulating electrodes 410A, 410B, and 410C than sensing electrodes 430A and 430B, sensing electrodes 435A and 435B may detect an electrical signal earlier than sensing electrodes 430A and 430B. In an embodiment, the time difference between when the electrical signal is detected at sensing electrodes 435A and 435B and sensing electrodes 430A and 430B may be an indication of how long a signal takes to travel through a nerve associated with the stimulated muscle fascicles.
In some embodiments, the measurement device component 150A may also have a reference electrode 420. The reference electrode 420 may be placed on the user 110 in an area away from the muscle fascicle or muscle group for which characteristics are being determined. For example, if the measurement device 150A is being used to measure characteristics of a calf muscle on the right leg, the reference electrode 420 may be placed on a muscle other than the calf muscle on the right leg. The reference electrode 420 may sense background noise, e.g., noise arising from a heartbeat or movement of the user 110, when measurements are being obtained by the measurement device component 150A. The background noise may be used to remove noise and interferences in the sEMG signals detected by any of the sEMG electrodes 435A, 435B, 430A, and 430B. In the example shown in
Referring back to
In addition, in some embodiments, the measurement device 150A may include gel pathways that allow gel to be dispensed at an area corresponding to the electrodes 410A, 410B, 410C, 420, 430A, 430B, 435A, and 435B. In
Referring to
An example of the alternating dominant signal is shown in
After a period of time, a second cycle may be initiated and the dominant and minor signals may be transmitted again. However, the electrodes transmitting the dominant and minor signals vary. For example, at the second time, e.g., t2, the TENS/EMS controller 610 may transmit to the TENS/EMS electrode 410B (E2) a dominant signal having a current I1, and transmit to TENS/EMS electrodes 410A (E1) and 410C (E2) a minor signal having a current I2.
After another period of time, a third cycle may be initiated and the dominant and minor signals may be transmitted again. However, the electrodes transmitting the dominant and minor signals may vary. For example, at the third time, e.g., t3, the TENS/EMS controller 610 may transmit to the TENS/EMS electrode 410C (E3) a dominant signal having a current I1, and transmit to TENS/EMS electrodes 410A (E1) and 410B (E2) a minor signal having a current I2.
This alternating process may continue until each TENS/EMS electrode 410C has transmitted a dominant signal at least once or until an operator or processor 635 of the measurement device 150A terminates measurements operations.
As noted above, the sEMG electrodes 430A, 435A, 430B, and 435B may sense a signal when a muscle contracts in response to stimulation by the TENS/EMS electrodes 410A-C. For example, a pair of sEMG electrodes 435A and 435B is placed at a beginning portion of a muscle fascicle in close proximity to TENS/EMS electrodes 410A-C. In this example, a dominant stimulating signal may be transmitted by TENS/EMS electrode 410A at time t1, and an electrical signal 810 may be detected by sEMG electrodes 435A and 435B shortly after time t1 at the beginning of the muscle fascicle, as shown in
After another short period of time though, the stimulation by the TENS/EMS electrodes 410A-C may traverse through the muscle and nerves associated with the muscle, and the other pair of electrodes 430A and 430B located at a portion (e.g., an end) of the muscle fascicle may detect a signal 820. In
According to embodiments, the signals detected by the sEMG electrodes 430A, 435A, 430B, and 435B may have a number of peaks and dips. The peaks and dips may be attributed to a cumulative response of a muscle to the stimulation by the TENS/EMS electrodes 410A-C. For example, nerves associated with muscle fascicles located at different distances from the sEMG electrodes 430A, 435A, 430B, and 435B are stimulated by different currents, i.e., dominant and minor signals. These different currents may generate different responses from the muscle. For example, in some cases, an electrical signal generated in response to the TENS/EMS stimulation has an amplitude that is smaller than the largest stimulating signal. In some cases, an electrical signal that is even larger than the stimulating currents may be generated by the muscle in response to the TENS/EMS stimulation. Referring to
The above-described TENS/EMS stimulation and sEMG detection operations may be performed each time a TENS/EMS stimulating signal is detected by a sEMG electrode. As shown in
As illustrated in
In an embodiment, processor 635, shown in
A power supply 625 may be included in the microcontroller 445 and may be configured to provide power to each component of the microcontroller 445. In general, various suitable types of power supplies may be used. For example, in some embodiments, the power supply 625 may be connected to a power supply cable that provides external power to the microcontroller 445. In some embodiments, the power supply 625 may be a battery such as a cell battery, an alkaline battery, a lithium ion battery, a nickel metal battery, a mercury battery, a silver oxide battery, or a zinc air battery.
In some embodiments, the microcontroller 445 may also include or be connected to one or more humidity sensors 615. A humidity sensor 615 may be configured to detect a humidity level where the measurement device component 150A is disposed. For example, the humidity sensor 615 may sense the amount of humidity on the skin surface of a user 110 on which the measurement device 150A is placed on. In general, various types of humidity sensors may be used. For example, the humidity sensor 615 may include, but is not limited to, a capacitive humidity sensor, a resistive humidity sensor, or a thermal conductivity humidity sensor.
In some embodiments, the humidity sensor 615 may be configured to obtain humidity measurements periodically, and, in some embodiments, the humidity sensor 615 may obtain humidity measurements in response to instructions received from the processor 635.
In some embodiments, a plurality of the humidity sensors 615 may be dispersed throughout the measurement device 150A such that each humidity sensor is located in close proximity to or within a particular distance of an electrode. In such cases, the humidity sensors 615 may provide the resolution to differentiate between the humidity levels at different electrodes. In some embodiments, one or more humidity sensors may be located in a central location of the measurement device 150A so that the average or general humidity level between the measurement device 150A and the skin of the user 110 may be determined. Data indicative of the humidity levels detected by the humidity sensors 615 may be transmitted to the processor 635.
The microcontroller 445 may also include or be connected to a gel dispenser 630. The gel dispenser 630 is configured to dispense gel in the space between the electrodes and the skin of the user 110. The gel dispenser 630 may be connected to a plurality of gel tubes that transfer gel from the gel dispenser 630 to the skin surface of the user 110. The processor 635 may receive data indicative of humidity levels detected by the one or more humidity sensors 615, and, in response to receiving the humidity level data, the processor 615 may instruct the gel dispenser 630 to dispense gel at certain locations.
In some embodiments, the microcontroller 445 may connect to the computing device 120 to allow practitioners to configure the gel dispenser 630. Practitioners may customize the gel dispensing periods by interacting with a graphical user interface of the computing device 120 while a user is exercising. Practitioners may also customize the gel dispensing periods by recording a user and selecting the dispensing periods based on a review of the recording. For example, after the video is recorded, a practitioner may play back the video and choose a specific time, say at the 1:00 minute mark, to click on a button or move a slider. These input methods are then used to set the desired time(s) according to the video length and gel amounts to be sent by the server 130. The times and amounts may be saved on the device's memory or a database for reference and use in one or more subsequent sessions. In an embodiment, when a user begins a new session, previously stored commands, selections, options relating to the dispensing of gel are retrieved, including the corresponding dispensing times and gel amounts.
In general, various suitable types of conductive gel may be used. For example, gel containing propylene glycol, glycerine, perfume, dyes, phenoxyethanol, carbapol R 940 polymer, water, and sodium chloride may be used. The gel dispenser 630 and gel dispensing process are described further with reference to
Placement of the electrodes in a correct, proper or optimized position improves the accuracy of measurements. In an embodiment, a practitioner can set up the system described herein during an initial phase, and the system is configured to store the setting established during the initial phase. In an embodiment, the settings may be directed to lock the placements of the electrodes in order to identify and target one or more particular muscle fibers, as shown in
In an embodiment, electrodes such as 430A/B and 435A/B may include an inertia measurement unit (IMU) to calculate the x-y-z locations. An IMU may be included on each electrode so that the processor 635 may send the locations of the electrodes for the computing device 120, processor 635, and/or database 140. Furthermore, the IMU readings may go into an initial stage to get the expected values for the locations of the electrodes. In the initial stage, a processor 635, a computing device 120, or a database 140 may take the initial x-y-z values of each electrodes and store the values for subsequent use (e.g., the initial values may be used as a comparison for subsequent electrodes placements). In an embodiment, in response to a user setting up a subsequent session, the processor and/or computing device may perform calculations to inform a user when the electrodes are significantly misplaced as compared to the placement associated with the initial stage.
To begin measuring muscle fascicle characteristics, the measurement device 150A determines whether the measurement device 150A has been placed on a part of the user 110's body (S702). For example, the measurement device 150A may include one or more sensors, such as capacitive sensors, light sensors, resistance sensors, to detect when the measurement device 150 is in contact with the skin of a user 110. Upon sensing contact with the user 110's skin, the one or more sensors may send a signal to the processor 635 of the measurement device 150A to indicate that the measurement device 150A is placed on the user 110's body.
The measurement device 150A may be placed on any muscle of the user 110's body. A person such as a medical practitioner, e.g., nurse, doctor, physical therapist, trainer, athletic coach, etc. may place the measurement device 150A on the user 110 through various methods. For example, the measurement device 150A may be wrapped around a user 110's body part using a belt, Velcro, or placed on the user 110's body using an adhesive.
In some embodiments, each of the TENS/EMS electrodes 410A-C may be positioned on skin directly above different muscle fascicles. For example, TENS/EMS electrode 410A may be placed on or above a first muscle fascicle towards a beginning portion a muscle fascicle. TENS/EMS electrode 410B may be placed on skin directly above a portion of a second muscle fascicle, for example, towards a beginning portion of the second muscle fascicle. TENS/EMS electrode 410A may be separated from TENS/EMS electrode 410B by a distance approximately equal to a distance between the centers of the first and second muscle fascicles that both belong to the same muscle. TENS/EMS electrode 410C may be placed on skin directly above a portion of a third muscle fascicle, for example, towards a beginning portion of the third muscle fascicle.
The sEMG electrodes 430A may be placed on skin above the same muscle group on which the TENS/EMS electrodes 410A-C are disposed. A pair of sEMG electrodes 435A and 435B may be placed closer to the TENS/EMS electrodes 410A-C, e.g., along the beginning portions of the first, second, or third muscle fascicles. A second pair of sEMG electrodes 430A and 430B may be placed further away from the TENS/EMS electrodes 410A-C, e.g., along end portions of the first, second, or third muscle fascicles.
After determining that the measurement device 150A is placed on the user 110's body, the measurement device 150A may activate all the components of the measurement device 150A. After activation, electrical pulses may be transmitted through the TENS/EMS electrodes 410A-C (S704). As described above and shown in
The stimulating signals transmitted by the TENS/EMS electrodes 410A-C may stimulate one or more nerves along the muscle fascicles above which they are located. The stimulation of the one or more nerves causes the muscle to contract thereby generating electrical activity within the muscle. In S706, this electrical activity may be received or sensed by sEMG electrodes 435A and 435B and sEMG electrodes 430A and 430B at different times, as described above.
At operation S708, the signals detected by the sEMG electrodes 430A, 430B, 435A, and 435B may be provided to the sEMG controller 620 and/or processor 635 for further processing. For example, the processing of the sEMG signal response by the EMG controller 620 and/or processor 635 may include amplifying and filtering the detected signals, and determining the time difference between when a signal was detected by sEMG electrodes 435A and 435B and when a signal was detected by sEMG electrodes 430A and 430B. The time difference may indicate a responsiveness of a nerve associated with the muscle fascicles on which the TENS/EMS electrodes 410A are disposed. A small-time difference may indicate a highly responsive nerve, whereas a large time difference may indicate a nerve that is poorly responsive. The detected time difference may be verified by dividing the distance between the location of electrode pairs 430A/430B and the location of electrode pair 435A/435B, by the expected conduction velocities, e.g., approximately 50-60 meter per second (m/s).
In some embodiments, data in a reference signal received from the reference electrode 420 may also be utilized for improving signal accuracy. For example, background noise, e.g., noise arising from a heartbeat or movement of the user 110, sensed by the reference electrode 420 may be aggregated with the signals detected by the sEMG electrodes 435A, 435B, 430A, and 430B to remove noise and interferences in the signals detected by the sEMG electrodes 435A, 435B, 430A, and 430B.
After processing the signals detected by the sEMG electrodes 435A, 435B, 430A, and 430B, the processor 635 may determine whether another cycle of measurements should be performed to obtain additional samples of signals detected by the sEMG electrodes 435A, 435B, 430A, and 430B, in operation S710. The first cycle, for example, may have been performed with TENS/EMS electrodes 410A-C transmitting dominant and minor pulses at time t1. If the processor 635 determines that another cycle of measurements should be performed, the TENS/EMS electrodes 410A-C may transmit dominant and minor pulses at subsequent times, e.g., time t2.
In general, any number of cycles may be performed. In some cases, the person or operator who placed the measurement device 150A on user 110 may terminate the cycles by removing the measurement device 150A. In some cases, cycles may be performed until each TENS/EMS electrode has transmitted a dominant stimulating signal. In some cases, cycles may be performed until a certain number, e.g., 10, of signals detected by the sEMG electrodes 435A, 435B, 430A, and 430B have been processed by processor 635.
In an embodiment, when multiple samples of sEMG detected signals are processed, the processor 635 may average the results as part of the processing operation in S708. For example, if five cycles are executed, the processor 635 may average the determined response time for a muscle fascicle using the five response times determined during each cycle. In this example, in response to a sixth cycle being executed, the average response time may be updated to incorporate the sixth cycle response time in the determined average response time.
In some embodiments, after executing multiple cycles, the processor 635 may further process the signals detected by the sEMG electrodes 435A, 435B, 430A, and 430B to determine characteristics of the muscle fascicles on which the TENS/EMS electrodes 410A-C are disposed. For example, signals detected in response to transmission of dominant and minor stimulating signals may be compared with expected responses to similar dominant and minor stimulating signals transmitted across muscle fascicles having similar structure and length. For example, the signal amplitude or phase and response time detected in response to a dominant stimulating signal across a particular type of fascicle in a particular muscle group (e.g., calf muscle) may be compared to the expected signal amplitude or phase and response time detected in response to a dominant stimulating signal across the same type of fascicle in the same muscle group (e.g., the calf muscle).
In an embodiment, if the comparison indicates that the detected responses to dominant and/or minor stimulating signals have a similarity level that satisfies (i.e., is greater than or equal to) a threshold level, the muscle fascicle may be determined to be healthy and correspond to expected muscle fascicle health. If the comparison indicates that the detected responses to dominant and/or minor stimulating signals have a similarity level that does not satisfy a threshold level, the muscle fascicle may be determined to be unhealthy. In addition, differences between the detected responses to dominant and minor stimulating signals and expected responses may be identified to determine how compromised the health of the muscle fascicle is.
In some cases, a signal may not be detected within a particular time period by sEMG electrodes 430A and 430B in response to a dominant or minor stimulating signal. In some cases, a weak signal may be detected by sEMG electrodes 430A and 430B. A failure to detect a signal or the detection of a weak signal by the by sEMG electrodes 435A, 435B, 430A, and 430B may indicate that the muscle fascicle has some physiological damage or may not be consistent with the anticipated muscle fascicle structure. Accordingly, in the various foregoing manners, indicators of the muscle fascicle health may be determined.
In an embodiment, when no more cycles are to be performed, the measurement device 150A may end the process for obtaining muscle fascicle measurements. Advantageously, non-invasive measurements may be obtained in a simple and cost-effective manner. Furthermore, a user 110 may obtain information about muscle health with an increased muscular resolution (e.g., health at an individual muscle-fascicle level may be determined). For instance, using test results, a medical practitioner may determine the likelihood of muscular damage in a muscle fascicle or the functionality of a muscle fascicle based on the muscle fascicle's responsiveness.
In some embodiments, prior to executing the method illustrated in
To facilitate the accuracy of measurements obtained by the measurement device 150, a method for automatically dispensing gel between electrodes and the skin of the user 110 may also be executed by the measurement device, as shown in
In an example, the measurement device 150 can be configured to operate in one of three operation modes, wherein the first operation mode may be based on time, the second operation mode is based on humidity sensors, and the third operation mode is based on syncing gel pumps with exercise patterns.
In some cases, the time period may be selected or set by receiving an input from an operator of the measurement device 150A to specify a time period between each pump, e.g., 60 seconds, 90 seconds. In some cases, the processor 635 may automatically set an expiration time period according to predetermined rules. For example, the processor 635 may set the time period differently according to the profile of the user 110, e.g., based on a skin type or age of the user 110. Information on the profile of the user 110 may be obtained from the user database 140, as described with reference to
After the time period is set, the processor 635 may transmit instructions to a timer to initiate a time counter, at operation S907. In an embodiment, the timer initiates a new time period upon receiving the instructions. The processor 635 may then determine whether the set time period has expired, at operation S910. In an embodiment, the processor 635 may make this determination by continuously checking the time of the timer. When the time of the timer matches the time-period set in operation S905, the processor 635 may determine that the set time period has expired. The processor 635 may also have a build-in timer, for which the processor needs to check the timing within its logic.
In response to determining that the set time period has expired, the processor 635 may send instructions to the gel dispenser 630 to dispense gel, at operation S925. The gel dispenser 630 may dispense gel on the skin of the user 110, as described in further detail with reference to
In the second operation mode, the gel dispenser 630 may be configured to dispense gel based on data received from humidity sensors 615. A humidity sensor may be used to detect a humidity level in a surrounding area to predict when the skin needs gel. The humidity sensor unit is relative humidity (RH), typically ranging between 5% to 95%. As described above, one or more humidity sensors 615 may be used to detect the humidity level between the electrodes of the measurement device 150A and the skin of the user 110, at operation S915. In some embodiments, the humidity sensors 615 may be placed in close proximity to the electrodes of the measurement device, for example, within a threshold distance, of the electrodes. In some embodiments, the humidity sensors 615 may be located towards the center of the measurement device 250A. In some embodiments, the humidity sensors 615 may be randomly positioned at different areas between the measurement device 150A and the skin of the user 110. In some embodiments, a single humidity sensor may be used where the readings obtained may be assumed to cover the entire region. Thus, the dispensing time and amount of gel may be one entry for the entire region, e.g., muscle group. Although sweat may affect the humidity sensors readings, the gel applied to patients' skin is thicker and works well even with sweat. Thus, sweat has minimal effect on the performance of the system.
The humidity sensors 615 may detect the humidity levels where they are located and provide data indicative of the detected humidity levels to the processor 635. For each humidity sensor, the processor 635 may determine whether the received data indicative of the humidity level satisfies (is greater than or equal to) a humidity threshold, in operation S920. If the data indicative of the humidity level satisfies the humidity threshold, the processor 635 may continue to monitor humidity levels between the electrodes of the measurement device 150A and the skin of the user 110, in operation S915.
In operation S920, of the data indicative of the humidity level does not satisfy the humidity threshold, the processor 635 may generate and transmit instructions to the gel dispenser 630 to dispense gel in an area corresponding to the location of the humidity sensor. To dispense gel based on detected humidity levels, the processor 635 may communicate with a storage or memory device accessible by the measurement device 150A. The measurement device 150A may transmit, to the storage/memory device, a query message that includes the detected humidity level and a query for the amount of gel that corresponds to the detected humidity level. The storage/memory device may store a mapping table of humidity levels to amounts of gel to be dispensed. For example, if humidity levels are at a first level, a first amount of gel may be needed to be dispensed per electrode. Accordingly, after receiving data indicative of a humidity level from the measurement device 150A, the storage/memory device may obtain data indicative of the corresponding amount of gel to be dispensed, and may transmit this data to the measurement device 150A. The measurement device 150A may then obtain the amount of gel from a gel storage unit as indicated by the information received from the storage/memory device. Additional details of the gel dispenser 630 are provided with reference to
According to embodiments a third operational setting that may be employed includes synchronizing gel pumps with one or more exercise patterns. In an embodiment, instead of using a push button, the practitioner could record a video in advance. Then, she/he may replay the video via a computing device 120 along with an input, i.e., a slider at the bottom, to mark the times to pump gel. Initially, the computing device may send the video duration and an identifier (e.g., a video identifier or a user identifier) to the processor 635 or database 140. A practitioner may replay the video and select one or more gel-dispensing times corresponding to events of an exercise program or pattern. In an embodiment, the computing device 120 identifies the gel-dispensing times and stores the associated time marks corresponding to the video (e.g., the video time mark). In an embodiment, the computing device 120 may send the marks with the identifier to update the processor's 635 memory. Alternatively, the computing device 120 may send the marks with the identifier to update the database 140. This embodiment is useful to let practitioners to easily and quickly add gel whenever a challenging or a new set is about to be performed so that the system can pump gel accordingly.
As shown in
The gel storage 1020 may be configured to store gel. In general, various types of gel may be used, for example, conductive gel such as Spectra® 360 electrode gel. In some embodiments, the gel storage 1020 may be a cavity in which gel may be stored. In some embodiments, gel storage 1020 may be a replaceable tablet that contains gel and may be replaced when the gel in the replaceable table is finished or depleted. In some embodiments, the gel storage 1020 may be a storage tank with an input port through which gel may be input to fill the tank.
A gel pump 1030 may be connected to the gel storage 1020 and may be configured to obtain gel from the gel storage 1020 and provide the obtained gel to one or more gel tubes 1040. The gel pump 1030 may use pressure differences (e.g., vacuum pressure) to obtain gel from the gel storage 1020. In some embodiments, processor 635 may send instructions to the gel pump 1030. The instructions may include: (i) timing information of when to obtain gel from the gel storage 1020; (ii) quantity information indicating an amount of gel to obtain from the gel storage 1020; and, in some cases (iii) location information indicating a region under the measurement device component 150A where the humidity levels are low.
In some embodiments, the gel pump 1030 may receive a signal from timer 1010 or processor 635 when the set time period expires, as described above in operation S910. In response to receiving the signal from timer 1010 or processor 635, the gel pump 1030 may obtain a determined amount of gel from the gel storage 1020. In the time-based operation mode, the gel pump 1030 may obtain a fixed or predetermined amount of gel for each electrode under which gel is to be dispensed. In the humidity sensor-based operation mode, the processor 635 may provide the gel pump 1030 with information specifying the amount of gel that is to be disposed based on information obtained from the mapping table stored in a storage/memory device as described above. In the synchronization of exercises operation mode, the processor 635 may provide a default or a previous session information indicating the times and amount to dispense gel to configure the gel pump 1030.
In some embodiments, the gel pump 1030 may include a measuring device to measure the amount of gel obtained from gel storage 1020. The measuring device may be located at the interface between the gel pump 1030 and the gel storage 1020, and may detect the amount of gel being passed from the gel storage 1020 to the gel pump 1030. For example, if a determination is made that more gel is needed, the gel pump 1030 may obtain additional gel from the gel storage 1020.
In an embodiment, after obtaining the identified amount of gel, the gel pump 1030 may then dispense the obtained gel through one or more gel tubes 1040 on to the skin 1050 of the user 110 that is underneath an electrode, e.g., electrode 410A. The processor 635 may control one or more valves located at the output ports of the gel dispenser 630 to be open at the time gel is to be dispensed, and closed at a set time period after the opening to allow for sufficient amount of gel to be dispensed. As noted above, in some embodiments, gel may be dispensed on portions of the skin 1050 that are located under the electrodes of the measurement device 150A upon the expiration of a set time period. In some embodiments, gel may be dispensed only at regions where humidity levels were less than the humidity threshold, as detected by the humidity sensors 615. In some embodiments, gel may be dispensed when a practitioner and/or a user requests to pump gel during the sessions; these requests may be saved as the preferred values for subsequent sessions.
In an embodiment, a strong conductive contact between the electrodes of the measurement device 150A and the skin of the user 110 is maintained when obtaining measurements using the measurement device 150A by periodically dispensing gel according to a set time period, dispensing gel according to detected humidity levels, or dispensing gel based on previously requested gel dispensing events. This automated manner of dispensing gel removes the need for medical practitioners to periodically check the humidity levels or to dispense gel and monitor the amount of the gel between the measurement device 150A and the skin of the user 110. Furthermore, gelling the electrodes reduces skin resistance and improves measurement accuracy.
Since most of the operation may be easily added to a database, implementing a machine learning model to predict when a gel pump is needed is useful. With enough collected data, the gel system could be fully automated, offering practitioners and users the ability to perform sessions without the need to apply gel manually or configure the system.
The improved method for dispensing gel along with the above-described method for determining muscle fascicle characteristics provides a novel, cost effective, efficient, and accurate manner of determining a quality and/or responsiveness of muscle fascicles. The small size of the measurement device 150A allows it to be portable and easily transported from one part of the user 110's body to another part, or between different users. While the gel dispensing method and device have been described with respect to measurement device 150A, in general, the gel dispending method may be utilized for any measurement device that uses contacts, such as electrodes, disposed on a user 110's skin.
In an embodiment, the device of the present disclosure may include a detection component (e.g., a hardware component and/or computer-executable instructions executable by a processing device) configured to detect displacement of an electrode and inform a user and/or a practitioner if the system is in need of relocating or repositioning. In an embodiment, the measurement device and some or all of the mentioned systems may share a common casing. The casing may include an inertial measurement unit (IMU) to record location information (e.g., x-y-z axis values) during the initial phase. In the initial phase, the IMU readings of the casing may be saved to the memory of the processor 635, or sent to a computing device 120 or a database 140. The initial values may be used as the expected values for the subsequent sessions. During any setup of subsequent sessions, if the casing placement varies greatly from the initial phase (e.g., 10%), then the system detects that the casing is misplaced and informs the user to change the location. The instructions to position the casing may be displayed inside or around the casing by, e.g., changing colors of a Light-emitting diode (LED). Additionally, the instructions may be displayed on a computing device 120, with color or text combinations to guide the user to move the casing. In an embodiment, the processor 635 and/or computing device 120 may be capable of calculating the difference between the initial x-y-z axes and the current x-y-z readings in order to inform a user to move the casing upward, downward, right and/or left.
In some embodiments, the casing may be replaced with a sleeve (e.g., a cloth sleeve) for greater flexibility and comfort. In some embodiments, the detection component may provide a higher accuracy of electrodes' localization by adding an IMU on each electrode. In order to allow the system to take measurements, a practitioner may notify the system, i.e. using a button, to record the x-y-z measurements of each electrode. The measurements may be sent to the main module, a processor associated with a memory and/or access to a database to store the IMU readings. The processor may take several IMU samples until the readings converge, to avoid a “shaking” error or other noise in the measurement.
In an embodiment, the device of the present disclosure may include a locking sub-system for its electrodes to prevent displacements, as shown in
To switch to an unlocked state, a practitioner may insert a key 1160A into the connector 1150, as shown in
In a locked state, electrodes are placed between one or more tracks 1100 and 1150 (e.g., arranged in a zig-zag configuration and referred to as a “zig-zag track”) and surrounded by two walls 1110 to block movement in any direction. In a locked state, electrode placement can be maintained until a practitioner updates or changes the placement for a subsequent session. In an embodiment, the connector 1220 may reside inside the port 1280, as shown in
In an embodiment, to move to an unlocked state, a practitioner or a user may insert a key 1170 into port 1280 to push the connector 1220 forward, as shown on
Embodiments and the functional operations regarding the electrodes' placements are presented as possible configurations and not as an inclusive list. For example, another configuration for the lock feature may be to replace the connector, the key and clip with a small motor. The motor may communicate with a processor 635 to unlock electrodes when needed by lifting zig-zag track 1150. The direction of the electrode may be controlled using a knob from a device over a computing device 120. Additionally, a track or more may expand together and move permanently to a new location, allowing the device to change locations in the horizontal and vertical directions.
Overall, once the practitioner initializes or sets up the system, the system is able to lock or remember the desired and targeted muscle fibers. Additionally, it may be possible with the implementation of this system and collecting enough data points about various conditions that the system will be able to know where to place the electrodes according to the patients' condition and the type of muscle fibers targeted.
Embodiments and the functional operations and/or actions described in this specification may be implemented in digital electronic circuitry, or in computer software, firmware, or hardware, including the structures disclosed in this specification and their structural equivalents, or in combinations of one or more of them. Embodiments may be implemented as one or more computer program products, e.g., one or more modules of computer program instructions encoded on a computer readable medium for execution by, or to control the operation of, data processing apparatus. The computer-readable medium may be a machine-readable storage device, a machine-readable storage substrate, a memory device, a composition of matter effecting a machine-readable propagated signal, or a combination of one or more of them. The term “data processing apparatus” encompasses all apparatus, devices, and machines for processing data, including by way of example a programmable processor, a computer, or multiple processors or computers. The apparatus may include, in addition to hardware, code that creates an execution environment for the computer program in question, e.g., code that constitutes processor firmware, a protocol stack, a database management system, an operating system, or a combination of one or more of them. A propagated signal is an artificially generated signal, e.g., a machine-generated electrical, optical, or electromagnetic signal that is generated to encode information for transmission to suitable receiver apparatus.
A computer program, also known as a program, software, software application, script, or code, may be written in any form of programming language, including compiled or interpreted languages, and it may be deployed in any form, including as a standalone program or as a module, component, subroutine, or other unit suitable for use in a computing environment. A computer program does not necessarily correspond to a file in a file system. A program may be stored in a portion of a file that holds other programs or data in a single file dedicated to the program in question, or in multiple coordinated files. A computer program may be deployed to be executed on one computer or on multiple computers that are located at one site or distributed across multiple sites and interconnected by a communication network.
The processes and logic flows described in this specification may be performed by one or more programmable processors executing one or more computer programs to perform actions by operating on input data and generating output. The processes and logic flows may also be performed by, and apparatus may also be implemented as, special purpose logic circuitry, e.g., an FPGA (field programmable gate array) or an ASIC (application specific integrated circuit).
Processors suitable for the execution of a computer program include, by way of example, both general and special purpose microprocessors, and any one or more processors of any kind of digital computer. Generally, a processor will receive instructions and data from a read only memory or a random-access memory or both.
Elements of a computer may include a processor for performing instructions and one or more memory devices for storing instructions and data. Generally, a computer will also include, or be operatively coupled to receive data from or transfer data to, or both, one or more mass storage devices for storing data, e.g., magnetic, magneto optical disks, or optical disks. However, a computer may not have such devices. Moreover, a computer may be embedded in another device, e.g., a tablet computer, a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a mobile audio player, a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, to name just a few. Computer-readable media suitable for storing computer program instructions and data include all forms of non-volatile memory, media and memory devices, including by way of example semiconductor memory devices, e.g., EPROM, EEPROM, and flash memory devices; magnetic disks, e.g., internal hard disks or removable disks; magneto optical disks; and CD ROM and DVD-ROM disks. The processor and the memory may be supplemented by, or incorporated in, special purpose logic circuitry.
To provide for interaction with a user or driver, embodiments may be implemented on one or more computers having a display device, e.g., a cathode ray tube (CRT), liquid crystal display (LCD), or light emitting diode (LED) monitor, for displaying information to the user and a keyboard and a pointing device, e.g., a mouse or a trackball, by which the user may provide input to the computer. Other kinds of devices may be used to provide for interaction with a user as well; for example, feedback provided to the user may be any form of sensory feedback, e.g., visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback; and input from the user may be received in any form, including acoustic, speech, or tactile input.
The example computer system 1300 includes a processing device (e.g., a processor) 1302, a main memory 1304 (e.g., read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, dynamic random access memory (DRAM) such as synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), double data rate (DDR SDRAM), or DRAM (RDRAM), etc.), a static memory 1306 (e.g., flash memory, static random access memory (SRAM), etc.), and a data storage device 1314, which communicate with each other via a bus 1330.
Processor 1302 represents one or more general-purpose processing devices such as a microprocessor, central processing unit, or the like. More particularly, the processor 1302 may be a complex instruction set computing (CISC) microprocessor, reduced instruction set computing (RISC) microprocessor, very long instruction word (VLIW) microprocessor, or a processor implementing other instruction sets or processors implementing a combination of instruction sets. The processor 1302 may also be one or more special-purpose processing devices such as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a digital signal processor (DSP), network processor, or the like. The processor 1302 is configured to execute instructions 1322 for performing the operations and steps discussed herein.
The computer system 1300 may further include a network interface device 1304. The computer system 1300 also may include a video display unit 1310 (e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD) or a cathode ray tube (CRT)), an alphanumeric input device 1312 (e.g., a keyboard), a cursor control device 1314 (e.g., a mouse), and a signal generation device 1316 (e.g., a speaker).
The data storage device 1314 may include a computer-readable storage medium 1324 on which is stored one or more sets of instructions 1322 (e.g., software) embodying any one or more of the methodologies or functions described herein. The instructions 1322 may also reside, completely or at least partially, within the main memory 1304 and/or within the processor 1302 during execution thereof by the computer system 1300, the main memory 1304 and the processor 1302 also constituting computer-readable storage media. The instructions 1322 may further be transmitted or received over a network 1320 via the network interface device 1308.
In one implementation, the instructions 1322 include instructions associated with programs or modules configured to execute the operations of a measurement device (e.g., measurement device 150 of
In the foregoing description, numerous details are set forth. It will be apparent, however, to one of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure, that the present disclosure may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form, rather than in detail, in order to avoid obscuring the present disclosure.
Some portions of the detailed description have been presented in terms of algorithms and symbolic representations of operations on data bits within a computer memory. These algorithmic descriptions and representations are the means used by those skilled in the data processing arts to most effectively convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. An algorithm is here, and generally, conceived to be a self-consistent sequence of steps leading to a desired result. The steps are those requiring physical manipulations of physical quantities. Usually, though not necessarily, these quantities take the form of electrical or magnetic signals capable of being stored, transferred, combined, compared, and otherwise manipulated. It has proven convenient at times, for reasons of common usage, to refer to these signals as bits, values, elements, symbols, characters, terms, numbers, or the like.
It should be borne in mind, however, that all of these and similar terms are to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels applied to these quantities. Unless specifically stated otherwise as apparent from the following discussion, it is appreciated that throughout the description, discussions utilizing terms such as “collecting”, “establishing”, “generating”, “identifying”, or the like, refer to the actions and processes of a computer system, or similar electronic computing device, that manipulates and transforms data represented as physical (e.g., electronic) quantities within the computer system's registers and memories into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within the computer system memories or registers or other such information storage, transmission or display devices.
For simplicity of explanation, the methods are depicted and described herein as a series of acts. However, acts in accordance with this disclosure can occur in various orders and/or concurrently, and with other acts not presented and described herein. Furthermore, not all illustrated acts may be required to implement the methods in accordance with the disclosed subject matter. In addition, those skilled in the art will understand and appreciate that the methods could alternatively be represented as a series of interrelated states via a state diagram or events. Additionally, it should be appreciated that the methods disclosed in this specification are capable of being stored on an article of manufacture to facilitate transporting and transferring such methods to computing devices. The term article of manufacture, as used herein, is intended to encompass a computer program accessible from any computer-readable device or storage media.
Certain implementations of the present disclosure also relate to an apparatus for performing the operations herein. This apparatus may be constructed for the intended purposes, or it may comprise a general-purpose computer selectively activated or reconfigured by a computer program stored in the computer. Such a computer program may be stored in a computer readable storage medium, such as, but not limited to, any type of disk including floppy disks, optical disks, CD-ROMs, and magnetic-optical disks, read-only memories (ROMs), random access memories (RAMs), EPROMs, EEPROMs, magnetic or optical cards, or any type of media suitable for storing electronic instructions.
Reference throughout this specification to “one implementation” or “an implementation” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the implementation is included in at least one implementation. Thus, the appearances of the phrase “in one implementation” or “in an implementation” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same implementation. In addition, the term “or” is intended to mean an inclusive “or” rather than an exclusive “or.” Moreover, the words “example” or “exemplary” are used herein to mean serving as an example, instance, or illustration. Any aspect or design described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects or designs. Rather, use of the words “example” or “exemplary” is intended to present concepts in a concrete fashion.
The terms “first”, “second”, “third”, “fourth”, etc. as used herein are meant as labels to distinguish among different elements and may not necessarily have an ordinal meaning according to their numerical designation.
It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. Many other implementations will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reading and understanding the above description. The scope of the disclosure should, therefore, be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.
While this specification contains many specifics, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the disclosure or of what may be claimed, but rather as descriptions of features specific to particular embodiments. Certain features that are described in this specification in the context of separate embodiments may also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features that are described in the context of a single embodiment may also be implemented in multiple embodiments separately or in any suitable sub-combination. Moreover, although features may be described above as acting in certain combinations and may even be claimed as such, one or more features from a claimed combination may in some cases be excised from the combination, and the claimed combination may be directed to a sub-combination or variation of a sub-combination.
Similarly, while actions are depicted in the drawings in a particular order, this should not be understood as requiring that such actions be performed in the particular order shown or in sequential order, or that all illustrated actions be performed, to achieve desirable results. For example, operations S702-S710 and/or S905-S925 may be executed in various orders and are not limited to the sequential order of the reference numbers assigned to the operations. Moreover, the separation of various system components in the embodiments described above should not be understood as requiring such separation in all embodiments, and it should be understood that the described program components and systems may generally be integrated together in a single software product or packaged into multiple software products.
It will be understood that when an element or layer is referred to as being “on”, “connected to”, or “coupled to” another element, it may be directly on, indirectly on, connected, or coupled to the other element or intervening elements may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on”, “directly connected to”, or “directly coupled to” another element or layer, there are no intervening elements or layers present.
As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. For the purposes of this disclosure, “at least one of X, Y, and Z” may be construed as X only, Y only, Z only, or any combination of two or more items X, Y, and Z (e.g., XYZ, XYY, YZ, ZZ). The phrase “one or more of X, Y, and Z” may be construed as X only, Y only, Z only, or any combination of two or more items X, Y, and Z (e.g., XYZ, XYY, YZ, ZZ).
It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, third etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers, and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers, and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer, or section from another region, layer or section. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer, or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer, or section without departing from the disclosed subject matter.
Spatially relative terms, such as “beneath”, “below”, “lower”, “above”, “upper”, and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the term “below” may encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosed subject matter. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
Embodiments of the disclosed subject matter are described herein with reference to cross-section illustrations that are schematic illustrations of idealized embodiments (and intermediate structures) of the disclosed subject matter. As such, variations from the shapes of the illustrations as a result, for example, of manufacturing techniques and/or tolerances, are to be expected. Thus, embodiments of the disclosed subject matter should not be construed as limited to the particular shapes of regions illustrated herein but are to include deviations in shapes that result, for example, from manufacturing.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosed subject matter. Thus, it is intended that the present disclosure cover the modifications and variations of the disclosed subject matter provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
