A proposal of layered sensor for analysis of muscular activity

In this paper, a new sensor for analysis of muscular activity is proposed. The proposed sensor is the layered structure of a thin stainless steel electrode, a PVDF film with transparent electrodes, and optical sensors. Electromyogram (EMG), mechanomyogram (MMG) and oxygen consumption based on near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) are simultaneously measured by the stainless steel electrode, the PVDF film, and the optical sensors, respectively. From these data, the muscular activity is analyzed. Therefore, it is the merit of the proposed sensor to be able to reduce the restriction to the skin by the sensors at multipoints measurements because three types of information are detected by a pair of proposed sensors. In this experiment, EMG, MMG, and oxygen consumption, that is, NIRS measurements at the forearm were demonstrated by the proposed sensor. The possibility of the simultaneous measurement of EMG, MMG and NIRS at same position by the proposed sensor was discussed.