Universidade Do Porto

Manuel Rodrigues Quintas

Tiago Faustino Andrade

Carlos Manuel De Sousa Moreira Da Silva

Teresa Maria De Serpa Pinto Freitas Do Amaral

Carlos Manuel Sousa Moreira Da Silva

Bruno Filipe Rodrigues Bento Dos Santos

Maria Teresa Braga Valente De Almeira Restivo

Maria Teresa Braga Valente De Almeida Restivo

Maria De Fátima De Castro Chousal

A multifunction device for the measurement of the strain on the faces of load cells and displacement on the free ends of load cells allow measurement of the traction and/or compression force and energy expended by a muscle or muscle groups of the human body. Embodiments allow determination of the force profile, the instantaneous power and the average power. Also disclosed is a device for the measurement, recording and digital monitoring of the evolution of force and respective expended energy.

Device for measuring muscle strength and energy

The object of the present invention is a device for measuring skinfold thickness digitally instrumented for reading the thickness of skin folds and possessing wireless data communication capability with a remote station (for example, a personal computer) in which is installed a software application integrating a database. The developed device utilizes working principles distinct from those available in the market, in particular uses a constant force actuator () integrated in the device handle (A), whose primary function is to impose a constant contact pressure between the end tip faces (A andB) and the skinfold under measurement. Another characteristic is related to the increase of the opening limit of the end tips (A andB) by using a large center distance for the jaws pivot axes, jointly with a cam for compensating the change in the force arm length, the constant force actuator and the orientation mechanism of the clamping faces of the end tips, whereby the application of a constant pressure throughout the whole measuring range is accomplished.

Device for measuring skinfold thickness

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Oporto, Portugal

Manuel Rodrigues Quintas