Validation of a low-cost electromyography (EMG) system via a commercial and accurate EMG device: pilot study

Abstract

Electromyography (Emg) Devices Are Well-Suited For Measuring The Behaviour Of Muscles During An Exercise Or A Task, And Are Widely Used In Many Different Research Areas. Their Disadvantage Is That Commercial Systems Are Expensive. We Designed A Low-Cost Emg System With Enough Accuracy And Reliability To Be Used In A Wide Range Of Possible Ways. The Present Article Focuses On The Validation Of The Low-Cost System We Designed, Which Is Compared With A Commercially Available, Accurate Device. The Evaluation Was Done By Means Of A Set Of Experiments, In Which Volunteers Performed Isometric And Dynamic Exercises While Emg Signals From The Rectus Femoris Muscle Were Registered By Both The Proposed Low-Cost System And A Commercial System Simultaneously. Analysis And Assessment Of Three Indicators To Estimate The Similarity Between Both Signals Were Developed. These Indicated A Very Good Result, With Spearman&#39 S Correlation Averaging Above 0.60, The Energy Ratio Close To The 80% And The Linear Correlation Coefficient Approximating 100%. The Agreement Between Both Systems (Custom And Commercial) Is Excellent, Although There Are Also Some Limitations, Such As The Delay Of The Signal (&Lt 1 S) And Noise Due To The Hardware And Assembly In The Proposed System.