EMG system for instructional purposes

[Tarkeshwar Singh]

Dear all,

I am looking for an EMG system (2-4 channels, including amplifiers and software) for teaching a senior undergraduate class in biomechanics; cost is the biggest concern. Any suggestions/recommendations are welcome.

Thanks,
Tarkesh

[Varadhan Skm]

Re: EMG system for instructional purposes

Dear Tarkesh,
If you are looking at research quality system, you can consider getting the RHD2216 amplifier board and RHD2000 USB evaluation system from Intan Technologies (www.intantech.com). The total cost would be around $4000 not including electrodes. If you are looking at hobby project type of thing, you can consider Myoware muscle sensor from advancer technologies (http://www.advancertechnologies.com/). The Cost is about $50 per differential channel). If you want something better than Myoware, you can consider Cyton or Ganglion boards from OpenBCI (http://openbci.com/) costing $200 (Ganglion) & $500 (Cyton). Note that the gains in low-cost systems will be low, but they may still suit your purpose. You could also consider the AD8233 chip from Analog devices that gives better gain, but it seems readymade systems with that chip are not available.

I would love to learn if there are other systems available.

Varadhan SKM

[Katie Polasek]

Re: EMG system for instructional purposes

Hi Tarkesh,
I use Vernier sensors ($147 for each EKG/EMG sensor https://www.vernier.com/products/sensors/ekg-bta/) for an undergraduate engineering class. They sell software for data analysis as well as hand held devices to use instead of a computer if needed. You can also get an adapter (https://www.vernier.com/products/acc...pters/bta-elv/) that can plug into a breadboard to interface with an A/D board or oscilloscope. I have the students do data collection and analysis in Matlab but that's just my preference.

KHP
Hope College

[Jill Crussemeyer]

Re: EMG system for instructional purposes

We also use the Vernier sensors for our introductory undergraduate course. The sensors are easy to use and the software is PC and mac compatible. Also, the software is free for students to download once you've purchased a license. Good luck!

JC
CSULB

[Edmund Cramp]

Re: EMG system for instructional purposes

My company makes and sells EMG equipment and we often get inquiries from students looking for an inexpensive EMG system so I have written an application note that demonstrates how to use an inexpensive, open source, Arduino Uno board to sample, record, and process EMG from an EMG preamplifier. This allows the user to view, sample, record, and process, high quality (high sample rate) data very inexpensively. While the application note (linked) demonstrates data collection using one of our preamplifiers, the techniques demonstrated, the interface circuitry, and the Arduino code are not manufacturer specific and should work with any EMG preamplifier or analog signal. The illustration below shows both live raw EMG and rectified EMG data sampled using the displayed Arduino code, and displayed with the builtin Arduino serial plotter.

arduinoemg.PNG

[Tarkeshwar Singh]

Re: EMG system for instructional purposes

Dear all,

Thank you all for your responses;very helpful. I am going to get in touch with Vernier and Motion Lab Systems.

Tarkesh