What is Vibromyography?

Since 1665, when the Italian scientist Francesco Maria Grimaldi published a treatise on muscle sounds, we have understood that muscle contraction causes vibration.

Until now, Vibromyography (VMG) has been thought to be an interesting but not clinically useful technology. Sometimes referred to as phonomyography or mechanomyography, the Sonostics implementation of VMG implements this technology in a new light, using patent-pending signal processing algorithms to render the vibrational information vastly more repeatable and predictable up to 100% of maximum voluntary contraction.

The breakthrough in correlating muscle vibration to effort is now a reality, made possible by Sonostics’ use of wavelet packet analysis to interpret the vibration data received from microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) sensors and proprietary software.

Using this technology, Sonostics is manufacturing and marketing devices for the non-invasive assessment of muscle performance and balance evaluation. The products will provide:

1. Multiple MEMS accelerometers in unique packages for collecting muscle vibration
2. Data processing hardware capable of monitoring signal data from those sensors
3. Proprietary software to capture muscle force data in real time and to provide biofeedback to users that can be compared to prior activity by the individual and is actionable in rehabilitation regimens or sports training programs.

How Does VMG Work?

The sensor captures 4,000 muscle vibration data points each second at the skin surface, focusing on a very specific portion of the sound spectrum that other researchers have historically ignored.

Software-based wavelet packet analysis is then utilized to extract the vibrational components which best correlate to effort generated by the muscle body under assessment.

Unlike Electromyography (EMG), Sonostics’ VMG devices use electrically isolated accelerometers rather than electrodes, so there is no risk of electrical shock, no need for special skin preparation, no disposable parts, and no worries about artifacts such as sweat to corrupt the signal.

In addition, VMG technology requires just a single sensor on the muscle belly to collect vibration information, not two as is the case with EMG.

Sonostics is deploying this technology in two separate products as well as a muscle balance assessment service.

The products are:

1. A turn-key device called MyoWave, for clinicians interested in rehabilitating musculoskeletal injuries and for sports professionals seeking to help athletes optimize athletic performance and avoid injury in the first place.

2. An integrated module of the BIOPAC Systems AcqKnowledge offerings for researchers and educators, using TSD250 or TSD251 mini transducers.