Automatic sensor selection

Abstract

Automatic electromyography (EMG) electrode selection for robotic devices is disclosed. A plurality of signals from a corresponding plurality of sensors coupled to a skin of a user is received. For each pair of at least some pairs of the plurality of sensors, a sensor pair signature is generated based on differences in signals that are generated by the respective pair of sensors. Each of the sensor pair signatures is compared to a predetermined sensor pair signature to identify a particular pair of sensors. A signal difference between two signals generated by the particular pair of sensors is subsequently utilized to generate a command to drive a motor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 a sensor assembly comprising a plurality of sensors configured to be coupled to a skin of a user, the plurality of sensors comprising at least three sensors including a plurality of pairs of sensors between each of the at least three sensors and each other of the at least three sensors; and   a processor device coupled to the sensor assembly, the processor device configured to:
 receive a plurality of signals from the plurality of sensors coupled to the skin of the user; 
 for each respective pair of sensors of the plurality of pairs of sensors of the plurality of sensors, generate a corresponding sensor pair signature based on differences in signals that are generated by the respective pair of sensors; 
 compare each of the sensor pair signatures to a predetermined sensor pair signature to identify a particular pair of sensors of the plurality of pairs of sensors, the predetermined sensor pair signature corresponding to a body part; and 
 subsequently utilizing a signal difference between two signals generated by the particular pair of sensors to generate a command to drive a motor. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor assembly comprises an electromyography (EMG) sensor assembly, and the at least three sensors comprise at least three EMG sensors. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the motor comprises an exoskeleton motor coupled to an exoskeleton, and wherein to subsequently utilize the signal difference between the two signals generated by the particular pair of sensors to generate the command to drive the motor, the processor device is further configured to:
 subsequently utilize the signal difference between the two signals generated by the particular pair of sensors to generate the command to drive the exoskeleton motor to move the exoskeleton.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the motor comprises a prosthetic motor coupled to a prosthetic, and wherein to subsequently utilize the signal difference generated between the two signals generated by the particular pair of sensors to generate the command to drive the motor, the processor device is further configured to:
 subsequently utilize the signal difference between the two signals generated by the particular pair of sensors to generate the command to drive the prosthetic motor to move the prosthetic.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensors are fixed to an adhesive substrate configured to be placed on the skin of a body part of the user. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least three sensors are fixed to an adhesive substrate and have a dimension of less than about 3 inches by 3 inches. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein to generate the sensor pair signature based on the differences in the signals that are generated by the respective pair of sensors, the processor device is further configured to:
 for each different pair of sensors of the at least three sensors, generate the sensor pair signature based on a difference in a voltage signal generated by each EMG sensor of the respective pair of sensors.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor device is further configured to:
 after comparing each of the sensor pair signatures to the predetermined sensor pair signature to identify the particular pair of sensors, disregard signals generated by each sensor of the at least three sensors other than the sensors in the particular pair of sensors.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein to receive the plurality of signals from the at least three sensors coupled to the skin of the user, the processor device is further configured to receive the plurality of signals from the at least three sensors coupled to the skin of the user during a period of time the user is performing a predetermined activity. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor device is further configured to:
 maintain a plurality of predetermined sensor pair signatures, each predetermined sensor pair signature corresponding to a different body part of a plurality of body parts of the user, and wherein to compare each of the sensor pair signatures to the predetermined sensor pair signature to identify the particular pair of sensors, the processor device is further configured to compare each of the sensor pair signatures to the predetermined sensor pair signature that corresponds to a body part on which the at least three sensors are attached to identify the particular pair of sensors.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensors is fixed to a common adhesive substrate configured to couple the plurality of sensors over the body part, and the processor device is further configured to:
 after identifying the particular pair of sensors, generate commands to drive the motor based on signals generated by sensors of the particular pair of sensors and disregarding signals generated by each sensor of the plurality of sensors other than the sensors of the particular pair of sensors.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of sensors comprises an electromyography (EMG) sensor, and the motor comprises an exoskeleton motor coupled to an exoskeleton. 
     
     
         13 . A method comprising:
 receiving a plurality of signals from a corresponding plurality of sensors coupled to a skin of a user;   comparing the plurality of signals with a predetermined signal signature, the predetermined signal signature corresponding to a body part;   selecting at least one sensor based on the comparison between the plurality of signals with the predetermined signal signature; and   subsequently utilizing a signal generated by the at least one sensor to generate a command to drive a motor.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein selecting the at least one sensor based on the comparison between the plurality of signals with the predetermined signal signature further comprises:
 selecting at least one sensor of the plurality of sensors and not all of the plurality of sensors based on the comparison between the plurality of signals with the predetermined signal signature.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the motor comprises an exoskeleton motor coupled to an exoskeleton, and wherein subsequently utilizing the signal generated by the at least one sensor to generate the command to drive the motor further comprises:
 subsequently utilizing a signal difference between two signals generated by a particular pair of sensors to generate the command to drive the motor to move the exoskeleton.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of sensors are fixed to an adhesive substrate configured to be placed on the skin of a body part of the user. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 after comparing the plurality of signals with the predetermined signal signature, disregarding signals generated by each sensor of the plurality of sensors other than the at least one sensor.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 maintaining a plurality of predetermined sensor pair signatures, each predetermined sensor pair signature corresponding to a different body part of a plurality of body parts of the user; and   wherein comparing each of the plurality of signals to the predetermined sensor pair signature to identify the at least one sensor further comprises:
 comparing each of the plurality of signals to the predetermined sensor pair signature that corresponds to a body part on which the plurality of sensors are attached to identify the at least one sensor. 
   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of sensors is fixed to a common adhesive substrate configured to couple the plurality of sensors over the body part, and further comprising:
 after identifying the at least one sensor, generating commands to drive the motor based on signals generated by sensors of the at least one sensor and disregarding signals generated by each sensor of the plurality of sensors other than the at least one sensor.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein each of the plurality of sensors comprises an electromyography (EMG) sensor, and the motor comprises an exoskeleton motor coupled to an exoskeleton.