# How Sensors Measure Body Joint Movement Across Different Sections > This patent describes a system of bendable and stretchable electromagnetic sensors placed around a body joint in four distinct sections to precisely track its movement. - **Patent:** US 10234934 - **Original title:** Sensor array spanning multiple radial quadrants to measure body joint movement - **Owner:** Medibotics - **Granted:** 2019 - **Status:** Active - **Times cited:** 27 - **Field:** consumer_electronics, software, biotech, robotics, wearables, sensors, medical ## What it does This invention uses an array of special sensors to measure how a body joint moves. It includes at least four "longitudinal electromagnetic energy sensors" that are designed to stretch and bend as the joint moves, with each sensor placed in a different quarter, or "radial quadrant," around the joint. For example, imagine four flexible strips wrapped around your knee, each covering a different side. The system also includes other "radial electromagnetic energy sensors" that collectively span the joint, with their axes pointing towards a common center. By measuring the changes in electromagnetic energy passing through these sensors as the joint moves, the system can figure out exactly how the joint is bending or twisting. ## What it does NOT cover - Does not cover systems that use fewer than four longitudinal electromagnetic energy sensors to span the body joint. - Does not cover sensors that measure joint movement using only accelerometers, without the specific bending and/or stretching electromagnetic sensors. - Does not cover sensor arrays where the longitudinal axes of the radial electromagnetic energy sensors do not converge. - Does not cover measuring movement of objects or structures that are not body joints. - Does not cover sensors that are not electromagnetic energy sensors, even if they bend or stretch. ## The clever bit The novelty lies in using multiple bending and/or stretching electromagnetic sensors arranged specifically in different radial quadrants around a joint, combined with converging radial sensors. This setup allows for a comprehensive, multi-dimensional measurement of joint movement, capturing complex bends and twists that simpler single-axis sensors might miss. ## Real-world examples 1. Smart rehabilitation devices for physical therapy 2. Wearable sensors for athletic performance analysis 3. Advanced robotic prosthetics 4. Exoskeletons for assistive movement or industrial tasks 5. Motion capture suits for detailed biomechanical analysis ## Why it matters This technology offers a way to get very detailed information about how human joints move. This precision is important for things like physical therapy, where tracking recovery is key, or in sports training to analyze an athlete's form. It could also be used in advanced prosthetics or robotic exoskeletons to make their movements more natural and responsive. ## Frequently asked questions ### What does How Sensors Measure Body Joint Movement Across Different Sections cover? This patent describes a system of bendable and stretchable electromagnetic sensors placed around a body joint in four distinct sections to precisely track its movement. ### Who owns patent US 10234934? Medibotics owns this patent, granted in 2019. ### When does this patent expire? This patent is expected to expire on March 24, 2036, when the invention enters the public domain. ### What is patent US 10234934 cited by? This patent has been cited by 27 later patents that build on its ideas. ### What problem does this patent solve? This technology offers a way to get very detailed information about how human joints move. This precision is important for things like physical therapy, where tracking recovery is key, or in sports training to analyze an athlete's form. It could also be used in advanced prosthetics or robotic exoskeletons to make their movements more natural and responsive. ### What does this patent NOT cover? Does not cover systems that use fewer than four longitudinal electromagnetic energy sensors to span the body joint. **Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10234934/sensor-array-spanning-multiple-radial-quadrants-to-measure-body-joint-movement **Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US10234934 --- _Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._ ## Related patents Semantically similar inventions in the PatentBrief corpus: - [Wearable Sensor for Tracking Body Movement and Muscle Activity](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10335080/biomechanical-activity-monitoring) — This patent describes a wearable device that combines motion sensing with muscle vibration detection to understand how a body moves and which muscles are being used. - [Wearable Wrap Detects Blood Clots and Swelling in Joints](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12011291/non-invasive-wearable-biomechanical-and-physiology-monitor-for-injury-prevention) — This patent describes a smart wrap for joints like knees or elbows that uses temperature sensors to spot early signs of dangerous blood clots and stretch sensors to detect swelling during recovery. - [Smart Clothing That Compares Pulse Signals from Both Sides of Your Body](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/20200281484/an-apparatus-for-monitoring-the-pulse-of-a-person-and-a-method-thereof) — This patent describes a piece of clothing, like a t-shirt, with built-in sensors in its sleeves or legs to measure and compare pulse characteristics from different limbs, helping to detect subtle health differences. - [How Two People's Body Movements Are Tracked in Augmented Reality](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10444502/method-and-apparatus-for-multiple-user-self-relative-tracking-for-augmented-real) — This patent describes a system for two users to accurately track their body parts, like a limb, relative to their own head-mounted display using magnetic fields, then display these virtual limbs in a shared augmented reality. - [How Fabric Sensors Measure Pressure on Your Body](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11137298/supercapacitive-iontronic-nanofabric-sensing) — This patent describes a flexible, all-fabric sensor that uses special ionic and conducting materials woven into a cloth to detect tiny pressure changes on the body, like blood pulses or movements.