| Summary: | The focus of this research is to develop a sensor that can be used to assess muscle performance during exercise. A novel, textile-based fibre optic sensor (TBFOS) is designed and produced to perform Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) on the thigh, to produce muscle oxygen saturation (SmO2) measurements. Design choices for this sensor are informed via a literature review, computer models and the production and use of optical phantoms. As the TBFOS requires pressure to be applied to the limb to hold the sensor in place, a fibre optic pressure sensor (FOPS) is also developed, to measure the compression applied by a textile. These technologies are both tested on volunteers using protocols designed to replicate clinical or exercise scenarios.
The range of SmO2 values produced by the TBFOS during exercise is smaller than those produced from a commercial device, but they do fall within the total range produced by the commercial device. For example, during targeted strength exercises the commercial device produces a range of 56 – 86 % SmO2, and the TBFOS a range of 78 – 86 %. The FOPS developed in this research is shown to measure hydrostatic pressure in the range of 0–360 mmHg with a mean sensitivity of 1.0 pm/mmHg.
In future work, these two sensors can be used in tandem to assess the pressure being applied by the textile housing the fibre optics. This is of interest to improve understanding of the measurements taken by the SmO2 sensor, and because the act of applying compression to the muscle may itself affect the SmO2 values measured. This could eventually lead to the development of a body suit for assessing muscle performance around the whole-body during activities such as weightlifting, or when recovering from injury or illness.
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