Revolutionizing Neural Machine Interfaces: Real-time Communication Interface for High-Density Surface Electromyography on the Edge
By: Peter Chudinov
Department: Biology, Engineering
Faculty Advisors: Dr. Xiaorong Zhang, Dr. Zhuwei Qin
High-density electromyography (HD-EMG) refers to the recording of muscle electrical activity using a matrix-like arrangement of electrodes placed over a muscle area. This technique allows for the detection and analysis of the complex spatial and temporal patterns of muscle activation that occur during movement. One major potential application of high-density EMG is in the development of neural machine interfaces (NMIs), which allow direct communication between the brain and a computer or other external device. By using HD-EMG to record muscle activity, NMIs can translate this activity into commands that control a computer or other device. However, the practical application of NMIs that utilize HD-EMG signals is hindered by issues related to limited transmission bandwidth caused by the large size of the HD-EMG signal. To overcome this limitation, this research introduces an effective HD-EMG transmission interface that is deployed on an edge device. The proposed method involves streaming 400-channel HD-EMG data to a Sony Spresense microcontroller. The proposed interface has the potential to revolutionize the field of NMIs, allowing for greater precision and control in the development of assistive devices and other related technologies.