Volume 10 Issue 1
Wireless sEMG System with a Microneedle-Based High-Density Electrode Array on a Flexible Substrate
Minjae Kim, Gangyong Gu, Kyoung Je Cha, Dong Sung Kim and Wan Kyun Chung
1Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), 37673 Pohang, Korea
2Ultimate Fabrication Technology Group, Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH), 42994 Daegu, Korea
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†These authors contributed equally to this work.
Abstract
Surface electromyography (sEMG) signals reflect muscle contraction and hence, can provide information regarding a user’s movement intention. High-density sEMG systems have been proposed to measure muscle activity in small areas and to estimate complex motion using spatial patterns. However, conventional systems based on wet electrodes have several limitations. For example, the electrolyte enclosed in wet electrodes restricts spatial resolution, and these conventional bulky systems limit natural movements. In this paper, a microneedle-based high-density electrode array on a circuit integrated flexible substrate for sEMG is proposed. Microneedles allow for high spatial resolution without requiring conductive substances, and flexible substrates guarantee stable skin–electrode contact. Moreover, a compact signal processing system is integrated with the electrode array. Therefore, sEMG measurements are comfortable to the user and do not interfere with the movement. The system performance was demonstrated by testing its operation and estimating motion using a Gaussian mixture model-based, simplified 2D spatial pattern.
Keywords:surface electromyography; microneedle array electrode; high-density electrode array