Design of Optical Fiber Goniometer Having Physiotherapeutic Application for Measurement of Tilt in Human Joints

The existing device used in the medical field to measure the extent of flexibility of a joint is a goniometer with a fixed hinge of rotation. As we know that the human body is not a flat surface, therefore the readings obtained from the goniometer must be approximated. The major focus here is to eliminate the fixed hinge of rotation and provide accurate readings. The project works on the principle of macrobending losses. Laser is monochromatic, directional, and coherent. When laser is passed through an optical fiber which is bent at a certain angle, attenuation in the signal is observed at the output. This attenuation can be correlated to the degree at which it is bent. The thought behind this project is to find the tilt of complex human joints primarily in the physiotherapeutic field and articular movement of the joints. The optical fiber losses will help in finding the precise reading of the angle.