Hack your muscles! How To Build A Muscle (EMG) Sensor for a Microcontroller

[AdvancerTechnologies]

Hey All,

We like to promote all forms of interest and learning into biomedical technologies. To help culture and educate future great minds and concepts in the field, we've just posted step-by-step instructions and a demo video on how to build your own muscle (EMG) sensors compatible with most microcontrollers. Use it to control video games, robot arms, etc.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Muscle-EMG-Sensor-for-a-Microcontroller/

Snippet of the intro...
"Measuring muscle activation via electric potential, referred to as electromyography (EMG) , has traditionally been used for medical research and diagnosis of neuromuscular disorders. However, with the advent of ever shrinking yet more powerful microcontrollers and integrated circuits, EMG sensors have found their way into prosthetics, robotics and other control systems. Yet, EMG systems remain expensive and mostly outside the grasp of modern hobbyist."

Hope you find the instructions useful. Don't hesitate to let us know if you have any questions of need any help building a sensor for  your next project!

Brian Kaminski
Advancer Technologies
[email protected]
www.AdvancerTechnologies.com

[corrado33]

I have to admit, that's kinda a REALLY cool idea.  It'd be great for an exoskeleton suit or similar.  Or even remote controlled arms.  There are so many applications as long as they work consistently and accurately. 

[richiereynolds]

That looks so cool, have to try it! Have you experimented much with it? Is it accurate?
I've a friend doing a PHD in this area on control from brainwaves, to be used to help people with muscular deficiencies carry out normal tasks. They've experienced a lot of problems with sorting out noise and consistency even with a lot of processing power using learning neural networks and AI. I know nothing about biology but I imagine you'd get a bigger signal to play with from the likes of an arm muscle?

[richiereynolds]

I've now got visions of hooking it up to one of those electrical slimming muscle exerciser kits attached to the wife and kids ... I can have my own synchronised dance troop   

[corrado33]

I've now got visions of hooking it up to one of those electrical slimming muscle exerciser kits attached to the wife and kids ... I can have my own synchronised dance troop   

Hahahaha cheater. 

[AdvancerTechnologies]

That looks so cool, have to try it! Have you experimented much with it? Is it accurate?
I've a friend doing a PHD in this area on control from brainwaves, to be used to help people with muscular deficiencies carry out normal tasks. They've experienced a lot of problems with sorting out noise and consistency even with a lot of processing power using learning neural networks and AI. I know nothing about biology but I imagine you'd get a bigger signal to play with from the likes of an arm muscle?

Thanks! I'm not exactly sure what you mean by "is it accurate?". Can you clarify? EEG (brain waves) and EMG are pretty different signal types. In robotic applications, EMGs are mostly used as threshold triggers. They aren't very accurate for determining muscle contraction length or changes in joint angle/position... yet. Come up with an advanced signal processing and control system to do this and it'd be revolutionary.

[richiereynolds]

That's kind of what I meant e.g. does it produce a linear increase in output as you contract the muscle and is that output in any way consistent from one contraction to the next, or is it all a bit unpredictable and noisy. Either way sounds like great fun!

I've had a quick look at getting the EMG surface mount electrodes online in the UK, don't appear very easy to get though, anyone else found these?