The EMG Signal

Artifact & Interference Sampling Rate Signal References Signal Processing.1

EMG Noise
A

form of artifact a clean signal

Interference with signal recording

Obscures

Electromagnetic sources from the environment may overlay or cancel the signal being recorded from a muscle
Especially problematic when the interfering frequency is the same as being recorded from muscle

Example: 60 Hz from power lines vs. 20 - 125 Hz slow twitch motor units

Sources of Noise (Interference)

Driver

amplifier

Poor

quality

High CMRR > 100,000

Broken Ground

fault

Amps not tied together Ground prong on cable

Broken Absent

Loose

cable connection Loose controls

Sources of Noise (Interference)

Driver

amplifier Electrodes

Pre-amp

faulty Broken/cracked Poor skin prep

Increases resistance Attenuates signal
Poor

electrode-to-skin contact
Electrode tipped No/too little conducting gel/paste

Sources of Noise (Interference)

Driver

amplifier Electrodes

Small

electrodes may cause poor contact Different electrode disk impedance Fixation failure over time
Tape loosens 20 to
Movement Perspiration

Sources of Noise (Interference)

Driver

amplifier Electrodes

Cable

fatigue

Along length At connector Stripped insulation

Poor

reference (ground) contact

Sources of Noise (Interference)

Driver

amplifier Electrodes Cable movement artifact

Swinging

cables

Especially if un- or poorly-shielded

Swing

frequency will probably be under 10 Hz

Slow twitch mus: (20) 70 - 120 Hz

Sources of Noise (Interference)

Driver

amplifier Electrodes Cable movement artifact

Shorter

cable minimizes swing Use shielded cable1 Apply shield cables tie to ground
1Digi-Key

Corp 701 Brooks Ave South Thief River Falls, MN 56701-0677 1-800-344-4539 www.digikey.com

Sources of Noise (Interference)

Driver

amplifier Electrodes Cable movement artifact Electro-static/magnetic radiation

Light

bulbs

Especially florescent
Motors

AC Fans Experiment component

Power

lines - 60 Hz Phone lines Ethernet cables Cable dishes

Sources of Noise (Interference)

Driver

amplifier Electrodes Cable movement artifact Electro-static/magnetic radiation Radio waves

AM FM

Cross-Talk
Electrodes

over an adjacent muscle pick-up a signal via skin conduction

M1

M2

Cross-Talk
Visually

inspect a tracing (monitor or printout) of a signal

If they have the same shape there is probably cross-talk
Muscle 1

Muscle 2

Cross-Talk Fixes
Check

skin prep Check skin resistance Reposition electrodes Check reference (ground) electrode
Move between electrode sets
Use

a narrower OC distance between electrodes, if available

Sampling Rate
Number

of data points (cycles) collected per unit of time - usually seconds

Example: 1000 cps = 1000 Hertz (Hz)

An

adequate sampling rate ensures that whats being recorded is truly representative of the signal

Sampling Rate
Lost Data Points
Sampling rate

Baseline

Signal Adequately Sampled

Signal Under-sampled

Consequences - Sampling
Under-sampling Lost

data points Signal not truly representative

Cant be trusted

Consequences - Sampling
Under-sampling At Signal

or over-sampling rate

adequately sampled With over-sampling more data points are recorded than necessary
Could tax storage capacity

Selecting the Sampling Rate The Two Times Rule

Analyze

the signal (or movement) and determine the highest possible operating frequency
Example: motor unit frequency range = (10) 70 - 250 Hz

Double

the top rate

Sampling rate: 250 Hz x 2 = 500 Hz ~ 1000Hz

Sampling at 1000 Hz
For

data plotted on a graph sampled at 1000 Hz, each tic on the X-axis is 1msec

1000 msec 1 second

Signal Reference (Events)

Event

marker stamps the point-in-time (point-in-the range, etc.) from which to start counting
Voltage spike Concurrent video
Ariel synch method - drop a ball

Electrogoniometer Torque signal

Voltage Spike from Event Marker

Raw

Rectified

Voltage Spike

Event

Correlate EMG Signal with Torque Channel

Torque

Rectified EMG

Signal Processing.1
Timing

- Phase transition

Onset - Offset
Duration

Onset

Duration

Offset

Phase Transition
Visual

assessment of phasic activity

1st

2nd

3rd

Question: At what (data) point do I start counting?

Baseline Noise vs. Signal Differentiation

Manual

visual identification using a cursor

Baseline Noise vs. Signal Differentiation

2

SD Method

Select a filtered segment of the pre-signal baseline to analyze

Example: 500 points Zoom-in on baseline

Calculate descriptive statistics for the segment using full-wave rectification

Mean & SD

Double the SD and add to mean value = point where the true signal rises from the baseline

Baseline Noise vs. Signal Differentiation

Baseline Raw Signal

Baseline Rectified Signal

500 pts

Reference Sources
Soderberg, G.L., Cook, T.M., Rider, S.C., & Stephenitch, B.L. (1991). Electromyographic activity of selected leg musculature in subjects with normal and chronically sprained ankles performing on a BAPS board. Physical Therapy, 71, 514-522.

Winter, D.A. (1991). Electromyogram recording, processing and normalization: procedures and consideration. Journal of Human Muscle Performance, 1, 5-15. Soderberg, G.L., & Cook, T.M. (1984). Electromyography in biomechanics. Physical Therapy, 64, 1813-1820

Reference Sources
DeLuca, C.J. (1997). The use of surface electromyography in biomechanics. Journal of Applied Biomechnics, 13, 135-163. Powers, C.M., Landel, R., & Perry, J. (1996). Timing and intensity of vastus medialis muscle activity during functional activites in subjects with and without patellofemoral pain. Physical Therapy 76, 946-967. Winter, D.A., Fugerlan, A.J. & Archer, S.E. (1994). Crosstalk in surface electromyography: theoretical and practical estimates. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology, 4, 15-26.

Reference Sources
Koh, T.J., Grabiner, M.D. (1993). Evaluation and methods to minimize cross talk in surface electromyography. Journal of Biomechnics, 26(supplement 1), 151-157. Karst, G.M., & Willett, G.M. (1995). Onset timing of electromyographic activity in vastus medialis oblique and vastus lateralis muscles in subjects with and without patellofemoral pain syndrome. Physical Therapy, 75, 813-823

Hodges, P.W., & Bui, B.H. (1996). A comparison of computerbased methods for the determination of onset of muscle contractions using electromyography. Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology, 101,511-519.