Garment system including at least one muscle or joint activity sensor and at least one actuator responsive to the sensor and related methods

1. A garment system, comprising:

at least one flexible compression garment adapted to be worn on at least one body part of a subject, the at least one flexible compression garment defining an interior space adapted to receive the at least one body part;

one or more sensors positioned and configured to sense at least one of a blood flow or a temperature of the at least one body part, the one or more sensors are further configured to output one or more sensing signals indicative of the blood flow or temperature;

one or more actuators positioned relative to the at least one flexible compression garment and configured to cause the at least one flexible compression garment to selectively compress against or selectively relieve compression against the at least one body part; and

a control system operably coupled to the one or more actuators and further operably coupled to the one or more sensors to receive the one or more sensing signals therefrom, the control system including control electrical circuitry configured to direct the one or more actuators to cause the at least one flexible compression garment to selectively compress against or selectively relieve compression against the at least one body part responsive to the one or more sensing signals from the one or more sensors.

2. The garment system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors include at least one of an electromyography sensor, a thermal sensor, an oxygenation sensor, a chemical sensor, or an acoustic sensor.

3. The garment system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors include one or more near infrared radiation sensors positioned and configured to detect a level of blood flow in the at least one body part.

4. The garment system of claim 3 , wherein the one or more near infrared radiation sensors include one or more near infrared source-detector pairs.

5. The garment system of claim 3 , wherein the control electrical circuitry is configured to direct the one or more actuators to selectively compress or selectively relieve compression against the at least one body part responsive to the level of blood flow being above or below a threshold level.

6. The garment system of claim 3 , wherein the control electrical circuitry is configured to direct the one or more actuators to selectively compress or selectively relieve compression against the at least one body part intermittently, responsive to the level of blood flow being above or below a threshold level.

7. The garment system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors include a thermal sensor.

8. The garment system of claim 7 , wherein the thermal sensor includes a passive infrared sensor positioned and configured to sense infrared radiation from the at least one body part indicative of a temperature of the at least one body part.

9. The garment system of claim 7 , wherein the thermal sensor is positioned and configured to sense a temperature of the at least one body part, and wherein the control electrical circuitry is configured to direct the one or more actuators to selectively compress or selectively relieve compression against the at least one body part responsive to the temperature being above or below a threshold level.

10. The garment system of claim 7 , wherein the thermal sensor is positioned and configured to sense a temperature of the at least one body part, and wherein the control electrical circuitry is configured to direct the one or more actuators to selectively compress or selectively relieve compression against the at least one body part intermittently, responsive to the temperature being above or below a threshold level.

11. The garment system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors include one or more oxygenation sensors.

12. The garment system of claim 11 , wherein the one or more oxygenation sensors include one or more near infrared sensors.

13. The garment system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more near infrared sensors are positioned and configured to sense infrared radiation from the at least one body part, and wherein the control electrical circuitry is configured to direct the one or more actuators to selectively compress or selectively relieve compression responsive to sensing infrared radiation indicating an oxygenation level in the at least one body part above or below a threshold oxygenation level.

14. The garment system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more near infrared sensors are positioned and configured to sense infrared radiation from the at least one body part, and wherein the control electrical circuitry is configured to direct the one or more actuators to selectively compress or selectively relieve compression intermittently, responsive to sensing infrared radiation indicating an oxygenation level in the at least one body part above or below a threshold oxygenation level.

15. The garment system of claim 1 , wherein the control electrical circuitry of the control system is configured to direct the one or more actuators to selectively apply compression or relieve compression against the at least one body part responsive to the one or more sensing signals from the one or more sensors indicating that the at least one body part is below a threshold level of activity.

16. The garment system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more actuators include at least one of one or more electroactive polymer actuators, one or more electroactive metallic actuators, one or more motors, or one or more hydraulic actuators.

17. The garment system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more actuators extend circumferentially along the at least one flexible compression garment, and are positioned and configured to increase or decrease the interior space of the at least one flexible compression garment responsive to actuation thereof.

18. The garment system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more actuators include a plurality of actuators that each extend circumferentially about the at least one flexible compression garment.

19. The garment system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more actuators includes a substantially tubular actuator.

20. The garment system of claim 1 , wherein the control system includes:

a power supply operably coupled to the one or more actuators and the control electrical circuitry; and

wherein the control electrical circuitry of the control system is configured to direct the power supply to alter an actuation stimulus to the one or more actuators, which causes actuation thereof, responsive to the one or more sensing signals from the one or more sensors.

21. The garment system of claim 1 , wherein the control electrical circuitry of the control system is configured to direct the one or more actuators to apply pulses of compression to the at least one body part or a gradient of compression along the at least one body part responsive to the one or more sensing signals from the one or more sensors.

22. The garment system of claim 1 , wherein the control system includes a user interface through which the control system can be programmed with at least one operational program that controls one or more of an amount of selective compression applied by the one or more actuators, intermittent compression or release of compression against the at least one body part, or a gradient of compression against the at least one body part.

23. The garment system of claim 1 , further including:

one or more additional sensors configured to sense a heart rate of the subject; and

wherein the control electrical circuitry of the control system is configured to direct the one or more actuators to cause the at least one flexible compression garment to selectively compress against or selectively relieve compression against the at least one body part responsive to the one or more additional sensors sensing the heart rate.

24. A garment system, comprising:

at least one flexible compression garment adapted to be worn on at least one body part of a subject, the at least one flexible compression garment defining an interior space adapted to receive the at least one body part;

one or more sensors positioned and configured to sense at least one characteristic of the at least body part, the one or more sensors further configured to output one or more sensing signals indicative of the at least one characteristic;

one or more actuators positioned relative to the at least one flexible compression garment and configured to cause the at least one flexible compression garment to selectively compress against or selectively relieve compression against the at least one body part; and

a control system operably coupled to the one or more actuators and further operably coupled to the one or more sensors to receive the one or more sensing signals therefrom, the control system including control electrical circuitry configured to direct the one or more actuators to cause the at least one flexible compression garment to selectively compress against or selectively relieve compression against the at least one body part responsive to the one or more sensing signals indicating that an activity of the at least one body part is below a threshold level of activity based on the at least one characteristic.

25. The garment system of claim 24 , wherein one or more sensors are configured to detect a level of activity of the at least one body part, and the control electrical circuitry is configured to direct the one or more actuators to selectively apply compression or relieve compression against the at least one body part responsive to the one or more sensing signals from the one or more sensors indicating that the at least one body part is below a threshold level of activity.

26. The garment system of claim 24 , wherein one or more sensors are configured to detect a level of activity of the at least one body part, and the control electrical circuitry is configured to direct the one or more actuators to selectively apply compression or relieve compression against the at least one body part intermittently, responsive to the one or more sensing signals from the one or more sensors indicating that the at least one body part is below a threshold level of activity.

27. A garment system, comprising:

at least one flexible compression garment adapted to be worn on at least one body part of a subject, the at least one flexible compression garment defining an interior space adapted to receive the at least one body part;

one or more sensors positioned and configured to sense at least one characteristic of the at least body part, the one or more sensors further configured to output one or more sensing signals indicative of the at least one characteristic;

one or more actuators positioned relative to the at least one flexible compression garment and configured to cause the at least one flexible compression garment to selectively compress against or selectively relieve compression against the at least one body part; and

a control system operably coupled to the one or more actuators and further operably coupled to the one or more sensors to receive the one or more sensing signals therefrom, the control system programmed to direct the one or more actuators to cause the at least one flexible compression garment to intermittently selectively compress against responsive to the one or more sensing signals.

28. The garment system of claim 27 , wherein the one or more sensors include a thermal sensor.

29. The garment system of claim 28 , wherein the thermal sensor includes a passive infrared sensor positioned and configured to sense infrared radiation from the at least one body part indicative of a temperature of the at least one body part.

30. The garment system of claim 26 , wherein the thermal sensor is positioned and configured to sense a temperature of the at least one body part, and wherein the control electrical circuitry is configured to direct the one or more actuators to selectively compress against the at least one body part intermittently, responsive to the temperature being above or below a threshold level.

31. The garment system of claim 27 , wherein the one or more sensors include one or more oxygenation sensors.

32. The garment system of claim 31 , wherein the one or more oxygenation sensors include one or more near infrared sensors.

33. The garment system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more near infrared sensors are positioned and configured to sense infrared radiation from the at least one body part, and wherein the control electrical circuitry is configured to direct the one or more actuators to selectively compress intermittently, responsive to sensing infrared radiation indicating an oxygenation level in the at least one body part above or below a threshold oxygenation level.

34. A system, comprising:

at least one flexible compression garment adapted to be worn on at least one body part of a subject, the at least one flexible compression garment defining an interior space adapted to receive the at least one body part;

one or more sensors positioned and configured to sense at least one characteristic of the at least body part, the one or more sensors further configured to output one or more sensing signals indicative of the at least one characteristic;

a motion sensing system configured to detect movement of the subject;

one or more actuators positioned relative to the at least one flexible compression garment and configured to cause the at least one flexible compression garment to selectively compress against or selectively relieve compression against the at least one body part; and

a control system operably coupled to the one or more actuators and further operably coupled to the one or more sensors to receive the one or more sensing signals therefrom, the control system including control electrical circuitry configured to direct the one or more actuators to cause the at least one flexible compression garment to selectively compress against or selectively relieve compression against the at least one body part responsive to the one or more sensing signals indicating that an activity.

35. The system of claim 34 , wherein the motion sensing system is remote from the subject.

36. The system of claim 34 , wherein the motion sensing system is configured to sense motion of one or more limbs of the subject.

37. The system of claim 34 , wherein motion sensing system is configured to detect a level of activity of the at least one body part, and the control electrical circuitry is configured to direct the one or more actuators to selectively apply compression or relieve compression against the at least one body part responsive to the one or more sensing signals from the one or more sensors.

38. The system of claim 34 , wherein the control system includes memory storing at least one movement pattern, wherein the motion sensing system is configured to detect a level of activity of the at least one body part, and wherein the control electrical circuitry is configured to direct the one or more actuators to selectively apply compression or relieve compression against the at least one body part to direct movement of the at least one body part that corresponds to the at least one movement pattern stored in the memory.