Wearable system for evaluating joint performance and function
One embodiment of a disclosed wearable device includes a pliable wrap with a plurality of fluid chambers stitched together to structure the wrap to conform to a shape of a joint of the user. An array of tension sensors are embedded into the wrap across one or more horizontal axes and one or more vertical axes of the wrap. Each tension sensor in the array detects forces exerted by the joint covered by the wrap and is connected with at least one adjacent tension sensor by a conductive thread. The wrap is further embedded with a controller, which receives signals representing movements detected by tension sensors of the array and generates a signal to activate the electroactive gel in one or more fluid chambers based on an analysis of the received signals.
1 . A wearable device comprising: a wrap configured to be pliable and further comprising: a first plurality of fluid chambers integrated into the wrap that is configured to conform to a shape of a joint of a user, each fluid chamber of the first plurality of fluid chambers comprising an electroactive gel, the electroactive gel being activatable to adjust a pliability of the wrap; and a second plurality of fluid chambers integrated into the wrap, an interior wall of each fluid chamber of the second plurality of fluid chambers configured to contact a skin area of the user, the interior wall of each fluid chamber of the second plurality of fluid chambers facilitating transdermal delivery of one or more nutrients contained in each fluid chamber of the second plurality of fluid chambers to the user; an array of tension sensors embedded into the wrap across at least one horizontal axis and at least one vertical axis of the wrap, each tension sensor comprising a flexible wire configured to stretch or compress the wrap to generate a signal corresponding to a movement of the joint; and one or more force sensors located at each intersection between tension sensors on a horizontal axis and tension sensors on a vertical axis, the one or more force sensors configured to collect force measurements based on the movement of the joint; and a controller, coupled with the wrap, the controller configured to: receive signals generated by the array of tension sensors the received signals corresponding to the movement of the joint and force measurements collected by the one or more force sensors; generate a Cartesian map of the joint describing changes in a shape of the joint during the movement of the joint; and generate a signal to activate the electroactive gel in the first plurality of fluid chambers to adjust the pliability of the wrap based on an analysis of the Cartesian map.
2 . The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein each tension sensor of the array of tension sensors is anchored in a horizontal plane by a lateral band positioned along a length of a vertical axis of the wearable device and is anchored in a vertical plane by a superior lateral band and an inferior lateral band, the superior lateral band and the inferior lateral band positioned along horizontal axes on either ends of the wearable device.
3 . The wearable device of claim 2 , wherein the inferior lateral band or the superior lateral band comprise one or more of: electrical components configured to transmit signals recorded by a first tension sensor of the array of tension sensors to one or more other tension sensors of the array of tension sensors; and one or more additional sensors configured to measure movement of an area of the joint of the user covered by the superior lateral band or inferior lateral band.
4 . The wearable device of claim 1 , further comprising: at least one physiological sensor embedded into the wrap, the at least one physiological sensor configured to measure physiological parameters corresponding to the user.
5 . The wearable device of claim 4 , wherein each fluid chamber of the second plurality of fluid chambers further comprises:
a pump configured to facilitate transcutaneous delivery of the one or more nutrients to the user in response to signals corresponding to the physiological parameters.
6 . The wearable device of claim 1 , further comprising: a conductive thread coupling the array of tension sensors and the controller and coupling the controller with the first plurality of fluid chambers, the conductive thread configured to transmit signals from the controller to activate the electroactive gels in one or more fluid chambers of the first plurality of fluid chambers to adjust the pliability of the wrap.
7 . The wearable device of claim 1 , further comprising: an array of voltage sensors embedded into the wrap across a horizontal axis and a vertical axis of the wrap, wherein each voltage sensor of the array of voltage sensors is configured to measure changes in a voltage caused by movements of the joint; and a conductive thread connecting each voltage sensor of the array of voltage sensors, the conductive thread configured to transmit voltage changes measured by a first voltage sensor to other voltage sensors of the array of voltage sensors.
8 . A knee brace comprising: a wrap configured to be pliable and comprising: a first plurality of fluid chambers integrated into the wrap that is configured to conform to a shape of a knee of a user, the first plurality of fluid chambers having an electroactive gel, the electroactive gel being activatable to adjust a pliability of the wrap; and a second plurality of fluid chambers integrated into the wrap comprising an interior wall, the second plurality of fluid chambers structured and configured to contract a surface of the knee, the interior walls of the second plurality of fluid chambers structured to facilitate transdermal delivery of one or more nutrients contained in the second plurality of fluid chambers; tension sensors embedded into the wrap and arranged in an array across at least one horizontal axis and at least one vertical axis of the wrap, each tension sensor comprising a flexible wire configured to stretch or compress to generate a signal corresponding to changes in geometry in response to movements of the knee; one or more force sensors located at each intersection between tension sensors on the at least one horizontal axis and tension sensors on the at least one vertical axis, the one or more force sensors is configured to collect force measurements responsive to movement of the knee; and a controller coupled with the wrap, the controller configured to: receive signals generated by the tension sensors corresponding to the movement the knee and the force measurements collected by the one or more force sensors; generate a mapping of the knee corresponding to changes in a shape of the knee during the movement of the knee; and generate a signal to activate the electroactive gel in the first plurality of fluid chambers to adjust the pliability of the wrap based on an analysis of the mapping of the knee.
9 . The knee brace of claim 8 , wherein each tension sensor in the array is anchored in a horizontal plane by a lateral band positioned along a length of a vertical axis of the knee brace and is anchored in a vertical plane by a superior lateral band and an inferior lateral band, the superior lateral band and the inferior lateral band positioned along horizontal axes on either ends of the knee brace.
10 . The knee brace of claim 9 , wherein the inferior lateral band or the superior lateral band comprises at least one of:
electrical components configured to transmit signals recorded by a first tension sensor of the array to one or more other tension sensors of the array; and
one or more additional sensors configured to measure movement of an area of the knee covered by the superior lateral band or inferior lateral band.
11 . The knee brace of claim 8 , further comprising at least one physiology sensor embedded into the wrap, the at least one physiology sensor configured to measure a physiological parameter of one or more physiological parameters of the user.
12 . The knee brace of claim 11 , wherein each fluid chamber of the second plurality of fluid chambers further comprises a pump configured to facilitate transcutaneous delivery of the one or more nutrients to the user in response to signals associated with the one or more physiological parameters of the user.
13 . The knee brace of claim 8 , further comprising a conductive thread coupling the array of tension sensors with the controller and coupling the controller to the fluid chambers, the conductive thread configured to transmit electrical signals from the controller to activate the electroactive gels in the first plurality of fluid chambers to adjust the pliability of the knee wrap.
14 . The knee brace of claim 8 , further comprising: an array of voltage sensors embedded into the wrap across the at least one horizontal axis and the at least one vertical axis of the wrap, each voltage sensor of the array of voltage sensors configured to measure changes in a voltage caused by movements of the knee; and a conductive thread connecting each voltage sensor of the array of voltage sensors, the conductive thread configured to transmit voltage changes measured by a first voltage sensor to other voltage sensors of the array of voltage sensors.
15 . A wearable device comprising: a pliable wrap comprised of a plurality of fluid chambers coupled together to structure the wrap that is configured to conform to a shape of a joint of a user, each fluid chamber of the plurality of fluid chambers comprising an electroactive gel, the electroactive gel being activatable to adjust a pliability of the wrap; an array of tension sensors embedded into the wrap across one or more horizontal axes and one or more vertical axes of the wrap, each tension sensor comprising a flexible wire configured to generate a signal describing a movement of the joint covered by the wrap by stretching or compressing as a geometry of the wrap changes; one or more force sensors located at each intersection between tension sensors on a horizontal axis and tension sensors on a vertical axis, the one or more force sensors is configured to collect force measurements based on the movement of the joint; and a controller coupled with the wrap, the controller configured to: receive signals generated by the array of tension sensors describing the movement of the joint and force measurements collected by the one or more force sensors; generate a mapping of the joint describing changes in a shape of the joint during the movement of the joint; and generate a signal to activate the electroactive gel in the plurality of chambers to adjust the pliability of the wrap based on an analysis of the mapped joint.
16 . The wearable device of claim 15 , further comprising at least one physiology sensor embedded into the wrap, each physiology sensor configured to measure a physiological parameter of one or more physiological parameters of the user.
17 . The wearable device of claim 16 , wherein each fluid chamber of the plurality of fluid chambers further comprises a pump configured to facilitate transcutaneous delivery of one or more nutrients to the user in response to signals associated with the one or more physiological parameters of the user.
18 . The wearable device of claim 15 , wherein each tension sensor of the array of tension sensors is anchored in a horizontal plane by a lateral band positioned along a length of a vertical axis of the wearable device and is anchored in a vertical plane by a superior lateral band and an inferior lateral band, the superior lateral band and the inferior lateral band positioned along horizontal axes on either ends of the wearable device.
19 . The wearable device of claim 15 , further comprising a conductive thread coupling the array of tension sensors with the controller and coupling the controller with the plurality of fluid chambers, the conductive thread configured to transmit electrical currents from the controller to activate the electroactive gels in one or more fluid chambers of the plurality of fluid chambers to adjust the pliability of the wrap.
20 . The wearable device of claim 15 , further comprising: an array of voltage sensors embedded into the wrap across one or more horizontal axes and one or more vertical axes of the wrap, wherein each voltage sensor of the array of voltage sensors is configured to measure changes in a voltage caused by movements of the joint; and a conductive thread coupling each voltage sensor of the array of voltage sensors, the conductive thread configured to transmit voltage changes measured by a first voltage sensor to one or more other voltage sensors of the array of voltage sensors.