Surface Electromyography: its Role and Potential in the Development of Exoskeleton (Review)

This study evaluates the effectiveness of superficial electromyography (sEMG) in the development of biocontrolled exoskeletons, through an analysis based on the findings of foreign and domestic literature on the subject. A brief historical background is provided. The features reviewed include the registration, processing and analysis of the signals from superficial electromyograms in respect of biocontrol. It is demonstrated that testing exoskeleton devices in association with sEMG provides an informative analytical tool for assisting in the optimization of exoskeleton design in order to reduce the metabolic “cost” of locomotion. The use of signals from superficial myograms during the operation of an exoskeleton have also been reviewed. The role of myography in studies of the fundamental physical processes involved while adapting to an exoskeleton is described. We conclude that the potential for the use of sEMG in respect of biocontrol is related to the new technical and mathematical possibilities available for the registration, transformation and classification of bioelectrical signals from the muscles, and the isolation of their patterns of muscular activity.