Development of Consumer-Friendly Surface Electromyography System for Muscle Fatigue Detection

In this study, a low-cost, wireless, and smartphone-controlled surface electromyography (EMG) system was designed and developed for consumers, and the recorded EMG signals were evaluated against a reference laboratory EMG system during fatiguing contraction. Using commercially available inexpensive...

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Main Authors: Ryuta Kinugasa, Shimpei Kubo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IEEE 2023-01-01
Series:IEEE Access
Subjects:
Online Access:https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10018339/
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author Ryuta Kinugasa
Shimpei Kubo
author_facet Ryuta Kinugasa
Shimpei Kubo
author_sort Ryuta Kinugasa
collection DOAJ
description In this study, a low-cost, wireless, and smartphone-controlled surface electromyography (EMG) system was designed and developed for consumers, and the recorded EMG signals were evaluated against a reference laboratory EMG system during fatiguing contraction. Using commercially available inexpensive components, the components of the EMG signal-acquisition circuit were optimized, and a microcontroller was combined with a Bluetooth module. The EMG signals were then converted from analog to digital signals and transmitted to a smartphone via Bluetooth serial communication. EMG signals from the biceps brachii of six healthy subjects were recorded separately using two EMG systems during sustained submaximal isometric contraction until the endurance limit was reached. The root mean square (RMS) and mean power frequency (MPF) of the EMG signals were calculated. The results indicated that both the EMG systems exhibited a characteristic progressive increase in EMGRMS and decrease in EMGMPF during sustained isometric contraction. The relative agreement between the two EMG systems, assessed by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), was excellent for EMGRMS (ICC 0.933, P < 0.001) and moderate for EMGMPF (ICC 0.662, P =0.049). The cost of the sensor components in the hardware was ¥ 8,486 per unit. The proposed consumer-friendly EMG system, which is inexpensive and highly versatile in terms of wireless and smartphone accessibility, can detect the phenomenon associated with increased amplitude and low-frequency components during muscle fatigue contraction with a magnitude similar to that of the commercially available laboratory EMG systems.
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spelling doaj.art-b6cf7a3e1837452a90e49863d29c43242023-01-24T00:00:43ZengIEEEIEEE Access2169-35362023-01-01116394640310.1109/ACCESS.2023.323755710018339Development of Consumer-Friendly Surface Electromyography System for Muscle Fatigue DetectionRyuta Kinugasa0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4164-7981Shimpei Kubo1https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7190-2181Faculty of Human Sciences, Kanagawa University, Kanagawa, Yokohama, JapanFaculty of Human Sciences, Kanagawa University, Kanagawa, Yokohama, JapanIn this study, a low-cost, wireless, and smartphone-controlled surface electromyography (EMG) system was designed and developed for consumers, and the recorded EMG signals were evaluated against a reference laboratory EMG system during fatiguing contraction. Using commercially available inexpensive components, the components of the EMG signal-acquisition circuit were optimized, and a microcontroller was combined with a Bluetooth module. The EMG signals were then converted from analog to digital signals and transmitted to a smartphone via Bluetooth serial communication. EMG signals from the biceps brachii of six healthy subjects were recorded separately using two EMG systems during sustained submaximal isometric contraction until the endurance limit was reached. The root mean square (RMS) and mean power frequency (MPF) of the EMG signals were calculated. The results indicated that both the EMG systems exhibited a characteristic progressive increase in EMGRMS and decrease in EMGMPF during sustained isometric contraction. The relative agreement between the two EMG systems, assessed by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), was excellent for EMGRMS (ICC 0.933, P < 0.001) and moderate for EMGMPF (ICC 0.662, P =0.049). The cost of the sensor components in the hardware was ¥ 8,486 per unit. The proposed consumer-friendly EMG system, which is inexpensive and highly versatile in terms of wireless and smartphone accessibility, can detect the phenomenon associated with increased amplitude and low-frequency components during muscle fatigue contraction with a magnitude similar to that of the commercially available laboratory EMG systems.https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10018339/AmplitudeEMGlow-costsmartphonespectral analysissustained isometric contraction
spellingShingle Ryuta Kinugasa
Shimpei Kubo
Development of Consumer-Friendly Surface Electromyography System for Muscle Fatigue Detection
IEEE Access
Amplitude
EMG
low-cost
smartphone
spectral analysis
sustained isometric contraction
title Development of Consumer-Friendly Surface Electromyography System for Muscle Fatigue Detection
title_full Development of Consumer-Friendly Surface Electromyography System for Muscle Fatigue Detection
title_fullStr Development of Consumer-Friendly Surface Electromyography System for Muscle Fatigue Detection
title_full_unstemmed Development of Consumer-Friendly Surface Electromyography System for Muscle Fatigue Detection
title_short Development of Consumer-Friendly Surface Electromyography System for Muscle Fatigue Detection
title_sort development of consumer friendly surface electromyography system for muscle fatigue detection
topic Amplitude
EMG
low-cost
smartphone
spectral analysis
sustained isometric contraction
url https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10018339/
work_keys_str_mv AT ryutakinugasa developmentofconsumerfriendlysurfaceelectromyographysystemformusclefatiguedetection
AT shimpeikubo developmentofconsumerfriendlysurfaceelectromyographysystemformusclefatiguedetection