Tongue elasticity sensing with muscle contraction monitoring

This paper discusses a elasticity sensing system that is able to evaluate tongue elasticity in vivo. We utilize an equivalent Young´s modulus of tongue, which is defined by the applied pressure divided by the tissue strain. We also introduce an index of muscle contraction by using an electromyographic (EMG) signal for judging whether the increase in elasticity is caused by a muscle contraction or a disease. By using a experimental system composed of a gripper-type elasticity sensing system and an EMG sensor, we confirm the validity of the proposed method. Through experiments, we show that the equivalent Young´s modulus of tongue under the muscle contraction is four times larger than that under no muscle contraction.