Development of a multi-modal sensor network to detect and monitor knee joint condition

Abstract

Osteoarthritis is a major cause of mobility problems in older people and is a particular problem in former sportspeople. The objective of this study was to develop and characterise a new system for the detection, monitoring and analysis of acoustic emissions from knee joints. 15 adult volunteers participated in the study. The participants performed six sets of three sit-stand-sit cycles. Reflective markers were placed at specific body landmarks recorded by 3D cameras. The exercise was performed with one foot on a force platform. A sensitive condenser microphone with a wide frequency response was connected to a dedicated acoustic analysis unit. Preliminary results provide clear acoustic signals showing a distinctive sequence of impulse-decay forms occurring naturally during each sit-stand-sit cycle. There are distinct differences between the acoustic signals emitted from younger healthy knees and those from aged knees. This work demonstrates the potential for this system to be used as an indication of the state of health of a human knee during movement.