MyoSock - Measuring muscle health in healthy ageing
Lead Research Organisation:
Newcastle University
Department Name: Population Health Sciences Institute
Abstract
The ISCF Healthy Ageing Follow on Fund 2023 is part of the Healthy Ageing Catalyst Award programme, funded by the UKRI Healthy Ageing Challenge and in collaboration with the US National Academy of Medicine's (NAM) Healthy Longevity Global Grand Challenge. With Zinc's programme of support, the Follow on Funding will be used to build upon previous Healthy Ageing Catalyst Award funding, with the aim of commercialising research in a wearable device to measure age-related changes in muscle health.
Muscle wasting affects 2% of the population - about 156 million people world-wide. A decrease in muscle tissue reduces the force necessary to perform movements such as walking. This may result in decreased mobility which impacts quality of life and increases falls risk. As the population ages, sarcopenia (age-related muscle wasting) will affect a projected 18-32 million Europeans by 2045. Health care costs directly associated with muscle weakness and sarcopenia were estimated to be £2.5 billion in the UK in 2016. Sarcopenia is a progressive muscle disease and loss of muscle starts as early as the fourth decade of life. Skeletal muscle, the largest organ in the body, is involved with many other functions, other than movement, through the release of a type of hormone called myokine. These myokines have an effect on, for example, cognitive function, obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Muscle wasting is present in a diverse range of illnesses and conditions such as diabetes, cancer, liver disease, alcoholism and prolonged bed rest. Assessing the health of the muscular system and developing appropriate interventions is therefore essential for advancing healthy ageing, longevity, and quality of life. However, there is no reliable non-invasive, low-cost method of measuring muscle health. Muscle activity can be recorded by measuring the small electrical potentials transmitted from muscles to the skin, known as electromyography (EMG). Muscle volume can be measured using ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging. However, muscle health is not just a measure of the amount of electrical activity within a muscle, or how large the muscle is, but also how activity and volume are linked to functional performance. There is therefore an urgent need to develop a device that can measure muscle health using multiple types of sensors. This project aims to develop a low cost, simple to use smart sock with embedded sensors and associated software for measuring muscle health.
Muscle wasting affects 2% of the population - about 156 million people world-wide. A decrease in muscle tissue reduces the force necessary to perform movements such as walking. This may result in decreased mobility which impacts quality of life and increases falls risk. As the population ages, sarcopenia (age-related muscle wasting) will affect a projected 18-32 million Europeans by 2045. Health care costs directly associated with muscle weakness and sarcopenia were estimated to be £2.5 billion in the UK in 2016. Sarcopenia is a progressive muscle disease and loss of muscle starts as early as the fourth decade of life. Skeletal muscle, the largest organ in the body, is involved with many other functions, other than movement, through the release of a type of hormone called myokine. These myokines have an effect on, for example, cognitive function, obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Muscle wasting is present in a diverse range of illnesses and conditions such as diabetes, cancer, liver disease, alcoholism and prolonged bed rest. Assessing the health of the muscular system and developing appropriate interventions is therefore essential for advancing healthy ageing, longevity, and quality of life. However, there is no reliable non-invasive, low-cost method of measuring muscle health. Muscle activity can be recorded by measuring the small electrical potentials transmitted from muscles to the skin, known as electromyography (EMG). Muscle volume can be measured using ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging. However, muscle health is not just a measure of the amount of electrical activity within a muscle, or how large the muscle is, but also how activity and volume are linked to functional performance. There is therefore an urgent need to develop a device that can measure muscle health using multiple types of sensors. This project aims to develop a low cost, simple to use smart sock with embedded sensors and associated software for measuring muscle health.
Organisations
| Title | Project case study: Axomics. |
| Description | UKRI Healthy Ageing Challenge video on development and importance of the 'Axoband', a device to measure muscle health. Dr Annette Pantall, Dr Iain Spears and Dr Rishad Shafik are interviewed and highlight the importance of interdisciplinary projects. Additionally footage of two older 90-year old adults being tested with the Axoband walking and during sitting tasks is shown. A clinician, neurologist Chiara Bettolo, emphasised the importance of a device such as the Axoband for monitor progression of neuromuscular diseases such as muscular dystrophy and response to treatments. |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Impact | The video has been beneficial in attracting interest from potential investors to support commercial development of the Axoband. |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYfGMjQ2oWE |
| Title | Zinc VC Axomics Showcase video |
| Description | A short 1 minute video to illustrate the Axoband. PI Annette Pantall speaking and demonstrating the Axoband on a young adult. https://app.frame.io/reviews/336c113c-e224-4eb9-81c5-33cd2119be52/b8cb81cc-de07-437d-9ef8-4694ce0c97de |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Impact | Presented to investors at a Zinc VC event and also sent to potential investors. |
| Description | We have developed a smart muscle activity band, the Axoband, that can record muscle activity with a high signal to noise ratio. We have identified that there is considerable interest from researchers, clinicians and professional sports policymakers in the Axoband. |
| Exploitation Route | We are aiming to form a spinout / startup and with further investment manufacture a commercial smart band to assess muscle health. |
| Sectors | Healthcare Leisure Activities including Sports Recreation and Tourism Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
| Description | This project has created a multidisciplinary smart fabrics hub at Newcastle involving electronic engineers, biomedical engineers, clinicians and computer scientists. We are additionally working with a pharmacologist who is developing chemosensors which we will integrate into the band. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2023 |
| Sector | Other |
| Description | National Security Sandpit -Novel Sensing |
| Amount | £2,500 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 12/2023 |
| End | 12/2023 |
| Title | Multichannel high and low density arrays from Axoband during different motor tasks |
| Description | EMG data and IMU data recorded from 8 young adults and 3 older adults during walking and isometric contractions. Data are collected with the 32 channel high density or low density Axoband. Axoband positioned around the proximal part of the distal lower limb. Quaternion data are available from the IMU. Moment data are available from the dynamometer during isometric contraction of ankle plantarflexors/dorsiflexors. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Processed data indicating high signal to noise ratio and ability of the Axoband to accurately record muscle activity during isometric contractions was presented at pitches and conference presentations. |
| Title | Diagnostic tool-Axoband -device for monitorig muscle health |
| Description | The Axoband is a fabric adjustable band with 32 screen printed electrodes embedded onto the fabric. Printed circuits connect the band to a transmitter, Muovi developed by OT Bioelettronica. The printed circuits can be adapted to the limb circumference and interelectrode distance adjusted for high density and low density. The raw EMG data are processed offline using custom written algorithms. |
| Type | Support Tool - For Fundamental Research |
| Current Stage Of Development | Refinement. Non-clinical |
| Year Development Stage Completed | 2024 |
| Development Status | Actively seeking support |
| Impact | Interest from Investors and also from Wellcome Leap Dynamic Resilience program director. |
| Description | Demonstration and Poster at 'Genetics Matters' Event at Discovery Museum, Newcastle on 25th Feb 2024 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | About 300 members of the general public attended this event held in the Discovery Centre in Newcastle on the topic of 'Genetics Matters'. Our team had a poster board and demonstrated the 'Axoband', the smart band developed with ESRC funding to monitor muscle health. we discussed the importance of measuring muscle function in genetic diseases such as muscular dystrophy. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Invited presentation to John Walton Muscular Dystrophy team, Newcastle University on 25th Oct 2023 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | I delivered a talk on the Axoband and it's relevance to detecting changes in muscle function in people with muscular dystrophy over time and in response to interventions. The main impact is that I am now collaborating with this group on grant applications and co-supervising PhD students. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Invited speaker at MyAge Roadmap launch, London on 21st Nov 2023. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | The title of my talk was 'Axoband - monitoring the e-Power of muscle in older adults'. The purpose of the MyAge event was to set out a roadmap for future prorities for muscle resilience research. The audience included members of UK Ageing Networks, industry, funders, policymakers and other stakeholders. The main impact is that the project director of Wellcome Leap Dynamic Resilience is interested in using the Axoband in their projects and I have been invited to apply for funding. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.ukanet.org.uk/myage/2023/11/20/roadmap-for-transformative-healthy-ageing-research/ |
| Description | OT Bioelettronica Research Event on 8th September 2023 in Turin, |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | I delivered a pitch (prelaunch) of the Axoband to researcher, clinicians and representatives from industry. Four members of the Axomics team, including Mark Catchpole from Conductive Transfers Ltd and Natalie Pankova from Zinc VC were supporting the Axomics stall. We had a table in the exhibit hall and demonstrated the Axoband as well as asking delegates to complete forms regarding interest in the Axoband. There was extensive networking during the event. The main impact is that I have a collaborator in Canada as well as expressions of interests globally from a number of researchers. A distributor from Japan is also very interested in marketing the Axoband. We have also developed closer links with the Italian Company OT Bioelettronica. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Online meeting with City Group |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Meeting with Head of Human Performance at Manchester City Group (own football clubs globally and invest in products) to discuss Axoband and investment from City Group. Following the meeting he recommended us to the next stage of City Group investment. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Outreach event at 'Smart Advances in Ageing Research' at Newcastle University on 7th Dec 2023 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Our team presented the 'Axoband' and discussed the importance of muscle health and its assessment in older adults. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Presentation at Zinc Showcase, London on 6th Sep 2023 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | I delivered a pitch to policymakers and investors at the Zinch Showcase event. Following the pitch there was a networking event and I was approached by several interest investors as well as NIHR project officer interested in my device. The main impact is that I now have potential investors interested in my product as well as support from NIHR for applying for specific grants. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Visit and presentation at Jockey Club Rehabilitation Centre -Jack Berry House |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | I together with a Co-I (Iain Spears) and my project manager (Maisie Dunn) visited Jockey Club Jack Berry Rehabilitation House in Yorkshire to view and learn about their facilities, to demonstrate our smart device and how it might benefit injured jockeys and to discuss collaborative research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Visit arranged for Newcastle Falcons club trainer to Newcastle University and to demonstrate smart band - Axoband. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The Newcastle Falcons rugby first team coach visited the sport's biomechanics lab at Newcastle university where we demonstrated the Axoband and discussed it's relevance for assessing fitness, strengthening programs and assessing fitness after injury for rugby players. We also discussed subscriptions for the Axoband. The coach was very interested in the Axoband, including the metrics generated by it. The coach wrote us a letter of support. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |