Medical Design and Outsourcing

  • Home
  • Medical Device Business
    • Mergers & Acquisitions
    • Financial
    • Regulatory
  • Applications
    • Cardiovascular
    • Devices
    • Imaging
    • Implantables
    • Medical Equipment
    • Orthopedic
    • Surgical
  • Technologies
    • Supplies and Components Index
    • Contract Manufacturing
    • Components
    • Electronics
    • Extrusions
    • Materials
    • Motion Control
    • Prototyping
    • Pumps
    • Tubing
  • MedTech Resources
    • Medtech Events in 2025
    • The 2024 Medtech Big 100
    • Medical Device Handbook
    • MedTech 100 Index
    • Subscribe to Print Magazine
    • DeviceTalks
    • Digital Editions
    • eBooks
    • Educational Assets
    • Manufacturer Search
    • Podcasts
    • Print Subscription
    • Webinars / Digital Events
    • Whitepapers
    • Voices
    • Views
    • Video
  • 2025 Leadership
    • 2024 Winners
    • 2023 Winners
    • 2022 Winners
    • 2021 Winners
  • Women in Medtech
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe

Wearable Sensor May Cut Costs and Improve Access to Biofeedback for People with Incomplete Paraplegia

February 22, 2019 By Megan Washburn

A new electromyography biofeedback device that is wearable and connects to novel smartphone games may offer people with incomplete paraplegia a more affordable, self-controllable therapy to enhance their recovery, according to a new study presented this week at the Association of Academic Physiatrists Annual Meeting in Puerto Rico.

Electromyography (recording electrical activity of muscles) biofeedback has been shown to enhance recovery of muscle control in people with incomplete spinal cord injury. However, existing biofeedback therapy devices are expensive and can be operated only by trained personnel in a laboratory environment. These factors prevent many people — up to 50,000 in the United States — from accessing the biofeedback therapy that could benefit their recoveries.

To help overcome these barriers, a team of researchers — led by R. James Cotton, M.D., Ph.D., at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab (formerly the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago) and John Rogers, Ph.D., at Northwestern University — developed an affordable, wearable-sensor biofeedback platform that allows people with incomplete paraplegia to self-dose this type of therapy.

Although many research systems can record muscle activity, very few are portable and can be worn comfortably over a span of days. Critically, none of these systems provide real-time access to the data via smartphones. The innovative system provides this functionality, allowing biofeedback via games, which can be played outside of the lab.

Shirley Ryan AbilityLab and Northwestern researchers deployed recent advances in flexible, stretchable electronics to design a wearable electromyography sensor. The device allows subjects to use movement and muscle activation to control novel smartphone games — which were also developed by the researchers — making biofeedback easily and constantly available. Data from the new platform, including muscle activity and game performance, is transparently synchronized to a secure cloud database, allowing monitoring by clinicians and researchers.

The device is adhered to the skin with conductive tape and uses integrated electrodes to record muscle activity. The low-profile sensor has wireless charging, Bluetooth connectivity and a nine-axis inertial measurement unit. The battery runs for several days and may be charged wirelessly using inexpensive commercial units.

Data the research team has collected from intact subjects has shown stable measurements over time. Pilot data from subjects with spinal cord injuries demonstrate that the device has sufficient sensitivity to detect muscle activation and to control the biofeedback games.

The developers believe that their new system for electromyography biofeedback overcomes many of the barriers to wider use of this therapeutic modality. Study of the device is ongoing to determine if self-dosed biofeedback can enhance recovery of electromyography activity and other functional outcome measures. At present, the device does not have FDA approval.

Related Articles Read More >

A photo of the Aktiia G0 Blood Pressure Monitoring System and app.
How Aktiia developed the Hilo Band, the first FDA-cleared OTC cuffless blood pressure monitor
Benefits of thermoplastic polyurethane films for wearable devices
Wyss Institute researchers develop coating to extend lifespan of implantable biosensors
A photo of Medtronic's LINQ II implantable cardiac monitor.
Lessons from Medtronic’s Define AFib study of implantable cardiac monitors
“mdo
EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND STAY CONNECTED
Get the latest medical device business news, application and technology trends.

DeviceTalks Weekly

See More >

MDO Digital Edition

Digital Edition

Subscribe to Medical Design & Outsourcing. Bookmark, share and interact with the leading medical design engineering magazine today.

MEDTECH 100 INDEX

Medtech 100 logo
Market Summary > Current Price
The MedTech 100 is a financial index calculated using the BIG100 companies covered in Medical Design and Outsourcing.
DeviceTalks

DeviceTalks is a conversation among medical technology leaders. It's events, podcasts, webinars and one-on-one exchanges of ideas & insights.

DeviceTalks

New MedTech Resource

Medical Tubing

MassDevice

Mass Device

The Medical Device Business Journal. MassDevice is the leading medical device news business journal telling the stories of the devices that save lives.

Visit Website
MDO ad
Medical Design and Outsourcing
  • MassDevice
  • DeviceTalks
  • MedTech100 Index
  • Medical Tubing + Extrusion
  • Medical Design Sourcing
  • Drug Delivery Business News
  • Drug Discovery & Development
  • Pharmaceutical Processing World
  • R&D World
  • About Us/Contact
  • Advertise With Us
  • Subscribe to Print Magazine
  • Subscribe to our E-Newsletter
  • Listen to our Weekly Podcasts
  • Join our DeviceTalks Tuesdays Discussion

Copyright © 2025 WTWH Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media LLC. Site Map | Privacy Policy | RSS

Search Medical Design & Outsourcing

  • Home
  • Medical Device Business
    • Mergers & Acquisitions
    • Financial
    • Regulatory
  • Applications
    • Cardiovascular
    • Devices
    • Imaging
    • Implantables
    • Medical Equipment
    • Orthopedic
    • Surgical
  • Technologies
    • Supplies and Components Index
    • Contract Manufacturing
    • Components
    • Electronics
    • Extrusions
    • Materials
    • Motion Control
    • Prototyping
    • Pumps
    • Tubing
  • MedTech Resources
    • Medtech Events in 2025
    • The 2024 Medtech Big 100
    • Medical Device Handbook
    • MedTech 100 Index
    • Subscribe to Print Magazine
    • DeviceTalks
    • Digital Editions
    • eBooks
    • Educational Assets
    • Manufacturer Search
    • Podcasts
    • Print Subscription
    • Webinars / Digital Events
    • Whitepapers
    • Voices
    • Views
    • Video
  • 2025 Leadership
    • 2024 Winners
    • 2023 Winners
    • 2022 Winners
    • 2021 Winners
  • Women in Medtech
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe