Posts Tagged ‘shimmer’

Shimmer Research has launched the first of a new range of solutions for the Shimmer platform. Multi Shimmer Sync is an application which allows for the configuration of and synchronised data capture from multiple Shimmers.

About Multi Shimmer Sync

The application is ideal for users looking to develop applications where simultaneous data capture from a number of units is required, and interpretation and analysis requires the data to be synchronised, with accuracy up to 0.98ms. Multi Shimmer Sync permits the user to configure multiple Shimmer units, can be used with Shimmer’s full range of sensing modules, and allows for synchronisation with external systems such as camera based motion capture systems.

With a range of features and data capture tools users can select sampling rate, detect and notify of dropped packets, save and load application settings for future use, annotate data, and name Shimmer units to ensure functionality, efficiency, and ease of use in data capture and synchronisation.

Core Features Include:

• Synchronised data capture from up to 7 Shimmers to a single file
  • Synchronisation accuracy of up 0.98ms depending on sampling rate and number of Shimmers
  • Allows for synchronisation with external systems e.g. Camera based motion capture systems
• Data stored in a tab delimited text format (files compatible with Microsoft Excel, Open Office, Matlab and most standard data manipulation programs).
  • Includes a verified .m script for loading data directly into Matlab
• Controls to configure each Shimmer
  • Configure features such as sampling rate, enable/disable sensors, set accelerometer range etc.
• Detection and notification of dropped packets
  • If packets are dropped due to the Shimmer going out of range or the UI will notify the user through the flashing of a red LED
• Monitor data using real-time plot
  • When the application is streaming data the real-time plot can be used to view the data from one or more signals
• Save and load application settings
  • This allows the user to save the settings for their particular experimental set-up and quickly reload the settings into the application when they resume their data capture session.
• Annotate Data with pulse marker and level marker
• Synchronise with an external system (e.g. Camera based motion capture systems) using trigger input (Requires Shimmer expansion board) or system timestamp

Shimmer Solutions provide software and applications that are designed and developed to meet specific end user application requirements. Shimmer Solutions are the latest addition to the current range of Shimmer products, OEM, Consultancy and Customisation services.

Driven by feedback from existing users, researchers, and companies the software and solutions aim to improve the quality and ease of data collection, research, and application development work by addressing challenges, techniques and providing tools associated with wireless sensing applications.

The software and applications are available to individuals, groups, and organisations via our website’s e-store.

Visit the Multi Shimmer Sync product page to read more, download an evaluation copy of the software, and watch a video demonstration.

Shimmer Research is proud to announce the Beta release of the Shimmer MATLAB Instrument Driver to support users’ algorithm test and implementation, data visualization, data analysis, and numerical computation.

The Shimmer MATLAB Instrument Driver is an object orientated solution for Shimmer data capture directly into MATLAB. The solution will allow Shimmer users to stream data directly to MATLAB, and assist users of the Shimmer 2 and Shimmer 2r in the development of Shimmer based applications in MATLAB. Shimmer users will benefit from MATLAB’s full range of tools including matrix manipulations, plotting of functions and data, implementation of algorithms, creation of user interfaces, and interfacing with programs written in other languages, including C, C++, Java, and Fortran.

The Shimmer MATLAB Instrument Driver adds to the range of supporting tools and applications already available to Shimmer users including the Shimmer LabVIEW Library, ShimmerConnect (C#), and the Shimmer 9DoF Calibration applications.

Key features of the Shimmer MATLAB Instrument Driver include:

• Object orientated solution for Shimmer data capture directly into MATLAB
• Provides for full configuration functionality to set features such as
  • sampling rate
  • accelerometer range
  • which sensors are enabled/disabled
• Allows for simultaneous data capture from multiple Shimmers
• Two example .m scripts which demonstrate the use of the ShimmerHandle class including plotting of data and writing data to a file
• Includes documentation and help info

Version 0.X is a Beta release prior to the release of the more extensive Shimmer MATLAB Instrument Driver Solution (v1.X) which will be released at a later date. The Instrument Driver is designed to work with MATLAB 2008a (version 7.6) or later on a Windows OS (the library has been tested on Windows XP and Windows 7).

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Available to Download

The Shimmer MATLAB Instrument Driver is a Beta release that will be made available to registered website members and Shimmer users only. For more information visit the Shimmer MATLAB Webpage:

• Shimmer MATLAB Instrument Driver [webpage]

The Shimmer 9DoF Calibration Application has just been updated, and is now available via the members section of the website.

The latest version (v1.0) now provides automated calibration for the 9DoF’s Gyro and Magnetometer, along with the automated Accelerometer calibration that was associated with version 0.1 of the application.

With an improved user interface and a step by step video tutorial the application facilitates fast and simple calibration of the Shimmer 9DoF IMU.

Main Features Include:

• Automated procedure for determining calibration parameters of tri-axial accelerometer, dual and single axial Gyros, and Magnetometer
• Save the calculated calibration parameters to the Shimmer unit
• Indicates if factory default parameters are being used (in the case that no parameters have been stored), or if stored calibrated parameters are being used
• Provides a data analysis tab to verify the accuracy of the calibrated parameters
• Version 1.0 has an improved application interface for ease of use / calibration

The application is accompanied by a detailed manual with a step-by-step guide, and is supported by a demonstration video. The application is freely available to all members of the Shimmer website.

Visit the webpage for more details, and to watch the video tutorial.

Shimmer Research, a leader in wearable wireless sensing is launching a Strain Gauge module to add to its extensive range of wireless sensing capabilities for the Shimmer platform.

The Shimmer Strain Gauge is ideal for all load, weight, force, torque, and pressure measurements through the connection of a user-supplied strain gauge load cell. The Strain Gauge module detects variance in resistance values when force is applied to the load cell. The Strain Gauge expansion module contains a bridge amplifier, excitation source, and connector or wire soldering points enabling force measurement with Shimmer.

Keeping with Shimmer’s focus on wearable sensing, the unit is small (53mmx32mmx23mm), and lightweight (29 grams), allowing for measurements free from wired constraints and enabling the wearer to perform their natural range of motion. With the ability to stream direct to a host device without the need for an intermediate receiving unit, and the option to act as an autonomous data logger, the Shimmer Strain Gauge allows for measurement outside of a dedicated lab setting.

Image illustrates the Shimmer Strain Gauge connected to a Futek Grip and Pinch Load Cell

The Strain Gauge will be particularly useful to customers focusing on Strength Capacity, Rehabilitation, Muscular-skeletal Clinical Research, and Sports Training. Keeping in line with our open source philosophy the Strain Gauge provides raw data, with no proprietary software or predefined analysis parameters to allow the user to interpret and analyse data specific to their application requirements.

The Strain Gauge module is supported in the Shimmer LabVIEW Library and the ShimmerConnect applications. Driver and test application code are available in the TinyOS Sourceforge/Googlecode repositories, with a user manual available to new and existing customers via the download section of the website.

There is a limited number of Strain Gauge modules presently available – and the module can be purchased via our online store. For further information contact us via info@shimmer-research.com

Watch the Strain Gauge Tutorial – or skip to the 4.25 mark to see the Strain Gauge Streaming data in real-time.

Visit the product page:

• Wireless Strain Gauge Module
• Strain Gauge Development Kit

As part of Innovation Dublin 2011, Shimmer Research has collaborated with Dublin City Council’s The LAB Gallery and a number of artists to explore and develop the ‘Quantified Self’.

Working with artists Michelle Brown, Cliona Harmey, Saoirse Higgins and Bea McMahon, films, drawings, and sculptures were developed using the Shimmer’s wearable wireless sensing technology. Quantified Self is a theme that explores how people can capture, monitor, and interpret personal and sensed data to make better decisions and engage with their health, behaviour, environment and personal outcomes.

The exhibition will be held at The LAB Gallery, located on Foley Street, Dublin 1, opening with a reception on Tuesday the 18^th of October from 6pm to 8pm. The reception will include a programme of events and a discussion curated by Rachel O’Dwyer, and is open to the general public. The Exhibition will run until the 3^rd of December, and feature applications including Equine Dressage, Stress Biofeedback, and Heart Rate Monitoring.

For more information – visit the webpage.

About Innovation Dublin

Launched in 2009, Innovation Dublin is a Creative Dublin Alliance Project coordinated by Dublin City Council (Economic Development Unit) and  is partnering with eight cities in the north west of Europe to develop open innovation models through transnational collaboration, to maximise European level synergies and development potential in the knowledge economy.

Soft tissue injuries (STIs) refer to the damage of muscle fibres, tendons and ligaments that connect the skeletal bones and account annually for $200billion in lost work hours across the US. This is by no means an insignificant sized sum nor is the fact that 34% or $68 billion dollars of all work related injuries in the US are defined as Soft tissue injuries (STIs).

The main reason for the cost of STIs is the failure of current diagnostic tools to provide soft-tissue-specific diagnosis. In relation to STI in back pain for example, x-ray machines only reveal significant results in 1 in 10,000 cases.

Litigious environments and stand offs between embellished STI cases or legitimate work injuries create the need for a ready solution to this troublesome issue.

A recent IEEE pulse article deals with this very challenge, it begins at the root of the problem, how it has been approached thus far, and how future solutions can ensure that these kinds of injuries are treated in a cost effective manner to improve clinical outcomes.

EFA solving the problem

The IEEE article reports on Insight Diagnostics Inc. (iDi) a Nevada based Diagnostics Company; outlining how they have developed state-of-the-art evaluation and diagnostic equipment for STIs. They combine the existing Electro-diagnostic Functional Assessment (EFA) with five medically accepted tests – Electromyography (EMG), Range of Motion (ROM), functional capacity evaluation (FCE), grip test and pinch test.

This method opens a comprehensive list of results to the clinician to determine the nature, extent, acuity, location and source of the referred pain, capturing information not only when a patient is static but also while the muscle is functioning dynamically (ROM). The EFA Assessment is nonloading, meaning there is no weight or resistance placed on the both the patient and the ROM apparatus whilst capturing full freedom of movement (flexion, extension, rotation, and lateral movements).

Currently iDi’s solution is a wired unit, with the patient tethered to a signal acquisition system using a complex wire harness. This provides less flexibility when performing tests within different work place environments and activities, resulting in the need for a more portable, and adaptable solution.

Wireless system

The relationship between iDi and Shimmer Research IEEE maintains is just the tonic for the advancement of this kind of technology, “Maximising potential gains while mitigating drawbacks led to a system that was validated for further commercial development.”

Shimmer Research, a leader in body worn sensor manufacture sought to deliver a wireless solution to the EFA wired offering. The Shimmer sensors configured for EMG, ROM (accelerometers), FCE pinch, and grip were chosen to develop the wireless EFA system based on features, commercial availability, and extensibility to include all the sensors in an EFA measurement suite.

Working in partnership the companies were able to address challenges of operating time, RF communication, network architecture, and device configuration to develop a reliable sensor based Personal Area Network (PAN) for the wireless EFA system.

Wired v Wireless EFA

Equipment (a) represents the Wireless Solution vs. Equipment (b) the Wired Solution

The development of a wireless system resulted in a ‘significant enhancement in system capability’ over the wired solution. Improved data quality, form factor, portability, number of channels, costs, and field maintenance were gained in the development of the wireless system.

One of the most notable outcomes was in relation to lead failure. Lead Failure is the primary failure mode of the wired EFA solution and can lead to a test being postponed. The wireless solution allows for the detection of the fault by a Shimmer device with an indicator illuminated at the failure location. The lead in question can be changed or, as the system is modular, the Shimmer in question can be easily swapped out. This results in a more robust solution, reduced complexity, lower initial system costs, elimination of custom components, and an increase in uptime.

The wireless EFA system will allow iDi to make a more significant impact in occupational and sports medicine, with greater ease of use, flexibility and portability, whilst offering a clear economic advantage.

Read the Full IEEE Pulse Article on pages 20-26.

The new Shimmer Dock has been released, and adds a number of updates to its predecessor the USB Reader. The Dock has a slim new design, adds greater functionality via an integrated GPS module, and replaces the pin hole reset with a reset button for greater ease of use.

The GPS module will transmit serial GPS NMEA sentences to the docked Shimmer’s external connector UART lines. This data can be used for application synchronization or localization and will provide users with accurate location and global time data in the development of Shimmer based applications.

The Dock also includes the standard features that where associated with USB reader such as programming, charging, and an integrated USB Flash Media Controller.

New Shimmer Dock: Controls, Functions and Indicators

• Power/Reset Button: Power on, reset, or power-off Shimmer unit
• GPS Enable Button: Toggle between GPS and host PC UART connection to Shimmer
• User Button: Application specific signal to Shimmer
• Charge Indicator
• microSD, UART Indicators

For full details visit the Shimmer Dock product page.

The ShimmerConnect software has just been updated, and is now available via the members section of the website.

The application allows users to display and save data received from Shimmer devices streaming over Bluetooth, and provides a range of user functions including the ability to select the sampling rate, which sensors are to be used, enable/disable power monitoring, and change parameters such as the accelerometer’s sensitivity.

Version 0.2 improves on the range of sensors supported by the application and includes a number of bug fixes from the original 0.1 version. The changelog includes:

• Support for the GSR, Strain Gauge and Heart Rate sensors
• Support for receiving 8-bit data channels instead of just 16-bit
• Added MagHeading box when Magnetometer is enabled
• Fixed problem with saving/displaying Magnetometer data
  • Read Mag data as 16-bit signed int, instead of 32-bit/64-bit
• Fixed EMG problem
  • A second EMG channel was being added erroneously
• “AnEx ADC0″ and “AnEx ADC7″ labels in Configure window now change to “VSenseReg” and “VSenseBatt” respectively when voltage monitoring is enabled

The source code for the application (written in C#) has also been updated and is available to current customers and users of the Shimmer platform upon request (Please visit the C# Development webpage).

The Boilerplate image (firmware) that is required to run on Shimmer is constantly updated and can be found in tinyos-2.x-contrib/shimmer/BoilerPlate.

For more information – visit the ShimmerConnect webpage.

Shimmer Research is proud to announce the official release of the Shimmer LabVIEW Library. Designed to assist Shimmer users in the development of Shimmer based applications, the library offers an expansive range of support tools from low level instrument driver’s right through to example Shimmer Application VIs.

Whilst allowing developers to be guided through the structure and tools to familiarize and develop applications with the Shimmer platform, the Shimmer LabVIEW Library also incorporates a number of end user functions. The example applications VIs include multi-Shimmer management, feedback on the percentage of data packets successfully received, support for the full range of Shimmer sensing modules, and the streaming of data in both raw and calibrated formats.

The Shimmer LabVIEW Library includes:

• Instrument Driver VIs: Low level Instrument Drivers for a range of different Shimmer operations such as configuring, triggering, and acquiring data
• Integrated Shimmer VIs: VIs that integrate all of the functionality of the lower level Instrument Driver VIs, providing ready made solutions suitable for most applications, greatly reducing development time
• Example Application VIs: LabVIEW application VIs that are designed to demonstrate  the use of the Integrated VIs in application development as well as serving as a basis for the development of user designed applications

Karol O’Donovan, Lead Application Engineer in the development of the Shimmer LabVIEW Library, noted ‘the Library will provide a toolkit for the development of Shimmer based solutions for a wide range of users from academic researchers to industrial developers. The Library exposes the full functionality of the Shimmer platform and is supported by a detailed user manual and appropriate labeling of block diagrams to facilitate greater understanding of the Shimmer LabVIEW Library and fast track the development of new applications’.

Demos, Documentation, and Downloads:

To find out more on the Shimmer LabVIEW Library, visit our LabVIEW webpage which provides a full description, list of main features, and system requirements. The Library package can also be downloaded from our LabVIEW webpage, along with the manual to guide you through the Library, Instrument Drivers, and Example Shimmer Applications.

Finally, you can view a full set of video demonstrations on the Shimmer LabVIEW Library via our YouTube Channel.

Shimmer Research, the leader in low power, wearable wireless sensing solutions have announced that they will be increasing the battery capacity by 60% on the Shimmer platform from June 2011. The upgrade will significantly increase the battery life in sensing applications where power consumption is a key concern, whilst not affecting the small, lightweight form factor of the Shimmer units.

The upgraded battery maintains Shimmer’s position as a pioneer in addressing power constraints in wearable wireless sensing. The open source platform, which is highly configurable and flexible, allows researchers, developers, and equipment manufactures to create extremely power efficient applications specific to the end user requirements. The additional battery capacity will facilitate even greater functionality in continuous, remote, and complex monitoring and motion sensing applications.

The new 450mAh rechargeable Li-ion battery can facilitate activity monitoring for up to two weeks on one recharge cycle when recording data locally, and can facility continuous streaming of ECG via Bluetooth for up to 24 hours. Speaking about the development Michael Healy (Lead Application Engineer, Shimmer Research) noted that the 450mAh battery ‘will really open up a new range of possibilities for research and product development. It will allow for better usability in home deployments, remote monitoring, and complex multi sensor applications where, power consumption has been a key constraint to date’.

The new battery will come as standard on all Shimmer units from the first of June 2011. For new customers units can be purchased as part of the development kits available from the company’s website e-store. For existing customers, please email info@Shimmer-Research.com for further information.