Conformal, stretchable, breathable, wireless epidermal surface electromyography sensor system for hand gesture recognition and rehabilitation of stroke hand function

Kerong Yang; Senhao Zhang; Ying Yang; Xiaoman Liu; Jiuqiang Li; Benkun Bao; Chang Liu; Hongbo Yang; Kai Guo; Huanyu Cheng

Materials & Design (Jul 2024)

Conformal, stretchable, breathable, wireless epidermal surface electromyography sensor system for hand gesture recognition and rehabilitation of stroke hand function

Kerong Yang,
Senhao Zhang,
Ying Yang,
Xiaoman Liu,
Jiuqiang Li,
Benkun Bao,
Chang Liu,
Hongbo Yang,
Kai Guo,
Huanyu Cheng

Affiliations

Kerong Yang: School of Biomedical Engineering (Suzhou), Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230022, PR China; Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Science, Suzhou 215011, PR China
Senhao Zhang: Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Science, Suzhou 215011, PR China; Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park 16802, USA; Corresponding authors at: Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Science, Suzhou 215011, PR China (S. Zhang, H. Yang and K. Guo); The Pennsylvania State University, University Park 16802, USA (H. Cheng).
Ying Yang: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The People’s Hospital of Suzhou New District, Suzhou 215011, PR China
Xiaoman Liu: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The People’s Hospital of Suzhou New District, Suzhou 215011, PR China
Jiuqiang Li: School of Biomedical Engineering (Suzhou), Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230022, PR China; Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Science, Suzhou 215011, PR China
Benkun Bao: School of Biomedical Engineering (Suzhou), Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230022, PR China; Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Science, Suzhou 215011, PR China
Chang Liu: School of Biomedical Engineering (Suzhou), Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230022, PR China; Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Science, Suzhou 215011, PR China
Hongbo Yang: School of Biomedical Engineering (Suzhou), Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230022, PR China; Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Science, Suzhou 215011, PR China; Corresponding authors at: Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Science, Suzhou 215011, PR China (S. Zhang, H. Yang and K. Guo); The Pennsylvania State University, University Park 16802, USA (H. Cheng).
Kai Guo: School of Biomedical Engineering (Suzhou), Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230022, PR China; Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Science, Suzhou 215011, PR China; Corresponding authors at: Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Science, Suzhou 215011, PR China (S. Zhang, H. Yang and K. Guo); The Pennsylvania State University, University Park 16802, USA (H. Cheng).
Huanyu Cheng: Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park 16802, USA; Corresponding authors at: Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Science, Suzhou 215011, PR China (S. Zhang, H. Yang and K. Guo); The Pennsylvania State University, University Park 16802, USA (H. Cheng).

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 243
p. 113029

Abstract

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Surface electromyography (sEMG) plays a significant role in the everyday practice of clinic hand function rehabilitation. The materials and design of current typical clinic sEMG electrodes are rigid Ag/AgCl or flexible polyimide (PI) film, which cannot provide a stable interface between electrodes and skin for adequate long-term high-quality data. Thus, conformal, soft, breathable, wireless epidermal sEMG sensor systems have broad potential relevance to clinic rehabilitation settings. Herein, we demonstrate a stretchable epidermal sEMG sensor array system with optimized materials and structure strategies for hand gesture recognition and hand function rehabilitation. The optimized serpentine structures with marvelous stretchability and improved fill ratio, provide lower impedance and high-quality sEMG signals. Moreover, the easy-to-use airhole method further ensures stable and long-term contact with the skin for recording. In addition, integrated with a customized flexible wireless data acquisition system, the capability for real-time 8-channel sEMG monitoring is developed, and taking together with the CNN-based algorithm, the system can automatically and reliably realize the 7 kinds of hand gestures with an accuracy of 81.02%. Moreover, the low-cost yet high-performance epidermal sEMG sensor system demonstrated its conceptual feasibility in quantitatively evaluation of stroke patient’s hand and facilitating human-robot collaboration in hand rehabilitation by proof-of-the-concept clinical testing.

Published in Materials & Design

ISSN: 0264-1275 (Print); 1873-4197 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Technology: Electrical engineering. Electronics. Nuclear engineering: Materials of engineering and construction. Mechanics of materials
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/materials-and-design

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