Given the recent investigation into the physiological effects of space on famed astronaut John Glenn, it is evident that NASA scientists are interested in researching how microgravity affects the human body.
The MyoMonitor® is being evaluated to study the muscles of astronauts in the weightless environment of space.
Among the areas of interest is the muscular performance of astronauts. Muscular activity, however, is not easily monitored in space with traditional and cumbersome electromyographic (EMG) machines.
This has changed with the assistance of Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) funding from NASA’s Johnson Space Center. NASA, along with other government agencies, has helped Delsys, Inc., of Boston, Massachusetts, develop the MyoMonitor® EMG system–a wearable 4-channel device that offers a new dimension in electromyography. Delsys, a spinoff company from the NeuroMuscular Research Center at Boston University, is also developing an 8-channel version of the MyoMonitor.
Currently, the battery-powered device is capable of storing over 3 hours of continuous 4-channel data and has a convenient carrying case that offers the freedom to monitor muscle performance with a portable cable-free unit. The MyoMonitor is being marketed for monitoring rehabilitative therapy, work place injury prevention, sports medicine, ergonomics, exercise training, and motion studies.
Read the full article at NASA Spinoff.
