This chapter introduces the anatomy and physiology of the respiratory system, and the reasons for measuring breathing events, particularly, using wearable sensors. Respiratory monitoring is vital including detection of sleep apnea and measurement of respiratory rate. The automatic detection of breathing patterns is equally important in other respiratory rehabilitation therapies, for example, magnetic resonance exams for respiratory triggered imaging, and synchronized functional electrical stimulation. In this context, the goal of many research groups is to create wearable devices able to monitor breathing activity continuously, under natural physiological conditions in different environments. Therefore, wearable sensors that have been used recently as well as the main signal processing methods for breathing analysis are discussed. The following sensor technologies are presented: acoustic, resistive, inductive, humidity, acceleration, pressure, electromyography, impedance, and infrared. New technologies open the door to future methods of noninvasive breathing analysis using wearable sensors associated with machine learning techniques for pattern detection.

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Introduction: This study aims to assess the influence of different skinfold thicknesses (ST) and their relation to the attenuation of the mechanomyographic (MMG) signal at different force levels (maximal voluntary contraction -MVC, 40% of MVC and 70% of MVC) of the rectus femoris muscle. Methods: Fifteen volunteers were divided in two groups: ST lower than 10mm (G<10) (8 participants) and ST higher than 35mm (G>35) (7 participants). Student t tests were employed to investigate differences between G<10 and G>35 regarding MMG analysis parameters (acceleration root mean square -aRMS, zero crossing -ZC, and median frequency -MDF), for the X, Y and Z axes, as well as for the modulus of these three axes.

Introduction: Functional electrical stimulation (FES) is a technique that has been successfully employed in rehabilitation treatment to mitigate problems after spinal cord injury (SCI). One of the most relevant modules in a typical FES system is the power or output amplifier stage, which is responsible for the application of voltage or current pulses of proper intensity to the biological tissue, applied noninvasively via electrodes, placed on the skin surface or inside the muscular tissue, closer to the nervous fibers. The goals of this paper are to describe and discuss about the main power output designs usually employed in transcutaneous functional electrical stimulators as well as safety precautions taken to protect patients. Methods: A systematic review investigated the circuits of papers published in IEEE Xplore and ScienceDirect databases from 2000 to 2016. The query terms were "((FES or Functional electric stimulator) and (circuit or design))" with 274 papers retrieved from IEEE Xplore and 29 from ScienceDirect. After the application of exclusion criteria the amount of papers decreased to 9 and 2 from IEEE Xplore and ScienceDirect, respectively. One paper was inserted in the results as a technological contribution to the field. Therefore, 12 papers presented power stage circuits suitable to stimulate great muscles. Discussion: The retrieved results presented relevant circuits with different electronic strategies and circuit components. Some of them considered patient safety strategies or aimed to preserve muscle homeostasis such as biphasic current application, which prevents charge accumulation in stimulated tissues as well as circuits that dealt with electrical impedance variation to keep the electrode-tissue interface within an electrochemical safe regime. The investigation revealed a predominance of design strategies using operational amplifiers in power circuits, current outputs, and safety methods to reduce risks of electrical hazards and discomfort to the individual submitted to FES application.

Background: Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) is a widely used technique for rehabilitation in physical therapy, however

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RESUMOIntrodução. campos eletromagnéticos (CEM) são utilizados com objetivos reabilitacionais no corpo humano. A lesão no tecido nervoso periférico diferencia-se da lesão no sistema nervoso central por apresentar grande potencial de regeneração axonal. Uma série de efeitos fisiológicos é associada à exposição de CEM, como analgesia, vasodilatação, contração muscular e, principalmente, regeneração de tecidos. Objetivo. apresentar aplicações dos CEM para a viabilidade na reabilitação do tecido nervoso periférico. Método. pesquisa bibliográfica realizada nas bases Springer, ScienceDirect, Pubmed, Google Acadêmico, portal de periódicos da CAPES entre os anos 1972 a 2009, empregando os termos: Magnetic fields; Nerve regeneration; Peripheral nerve; Axonal regeneration; Electrical regeneration; Peripheral nerve regeneration. Resultados. os parâmetros selecionados para os CEM variam amplamente: campos elétricos utilizam duração do pulso (período ativo) de 65 µs a 100 µs, frequência entre 0 a 250 Hz e amplitude entre 0,1 V/m a 4 V/m. Para campos magnéticos, a intensidade varia entre 4,35 µT e 8 T e a frequência entre 0 a 54 GHz. Conclusão. resultados da aplicação de CEM em tecido animal estão relacionados ao alongamento e direcionamento axonal, incremento protéico, alteração genética e redução do tempo total de regeneração. A aplicação de CEM não produz danos físicos, com poucos efeitos colaterais transitórios quando utilizados com magnitudes consideradas seguras.Unitermos. Regeneração Nervosa, Regeneração Tecidual Guiada, Sistema Nervoso, Sistema Nervoso Periférico, Engenharia Biomé-dica, Reabilitação.Citação. Krueger-Beck E, Scheeren EM, Nogueira Neto GN, Nohama P. Campos elétricos e magnéticos aplicados à regeneração nervosa periférica. ABSTRACTIntroduction. Electromagnetic fields (EMF) may be applied to the human body with rehabilitative goals. Injury to peripheral nerve tissue differs from the lesion in the central nervous system because it presents a great potential for axonal regeneration. physiological effects are associated to exposure to EMFs, such as analgesia, vasodilation, muscle contraction and, especially, tissue regeneration. Objective. The paper aim is present and explore new applications of EMF in the rehabilitation of peripheral nerve tissue. Method. Literature search was undertaken on the bases Springer, ScienceDirect, PubMed, Google Scholar, CAPES periodicals portal between the years 1972 to 2009, using the terms: Magnetic fields; Nerve regeneration; Peripheral nerve; Axonal regeneration; Electrical regeneration; Peripheral nerve regeneration. Results. The selected parameters for EMFs vary widely: for electric fields, it is used pulse width (on time) from 65 µs up to 100 µs, frequency range up to 250 Hz and amplitude varying from 0,1 V/m to 4 V/m. For magnetic fields, intensity varies between 4.35 µT and 8 T and frequency, between 0 and 54 GHz. Conclusion. results related to axonal elongation and guidance, protein increment, genetic changes and reduction of the total time of regeneration. The applica...