7th Lecture

Dimitar Stefanov

Recapping
Three types electrodes are used for sensing of EMG signals:

1.
2.
3.

indwelling (intramuscular) electrodes (single fiber electrodes, monopolar

electrodes, concentric electrodes)
Wire electrodes
surface electrodes non-invasive recordings
Potential of surface electrode (V)

Differential voltage waveform

Velocity of propagation of the m.a.p. 4 m/s

There is a delay between the EMG and muscle contraction (30-80 milliseconds).
In case of isometric muscle tension, a linear dependency between the muscle tension
and the rectified EMG output is observed.

Fatigue
(1) If we assume that the EMG is stimulation rate remains constant then the muscle
tension deceases in case of fatigue.
(2) The shape of the m.a.p. is altered in case of fatigue.
(3) tremor occurs.

EMG signal:
contains certain level of noises
has specific spectral density function.
Important parameters of the EMG amplifiers:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Gain and dynamic range

Input impedance
Frequency response
Common mode rejection.

Problem with the electrodes: polarization

The electric conductivity of the body involves ions as charge carrier.
Electrodes can be considered as electrical conductors in contact with the aqueous
ionic solutions of the body.
The interaction between electrons in the electrodes and ions in the body can affect
the EMG signal
Half-cell potential (HCP) is called the potential difference between the metal of
the electrode and the bulk of the electrolyte.

HCP depends on the ionic concentration

HCP can be measured when no electric current flows between an
electrode and the electrolyte

Problem with the electrodes: polarization

Polarization arises in case when current flows between the electrode

and the solution.

Perfectly polarizable electrodes no actual current crosses the

electrode- electrolyte interface
Nonpolarized electrodes allow the current to pass freely in
electrode-electrolyte interface.

Silver silver chloride electrode (Ag/AgCl) it possesses characteristics which

are similar to a perfect nonpolarizable electrode.

Silver silver chloride electrodes

AgCl film
Ag metal
insulated lead wire
Low noise electrodes

greater mechanical stability

Ag lead wire
sintered Ag and AgCl
(Ag and AgCl powder mechanically pressed)

Equivalent circuit of a biopotential electrode

Ehc half-cell potential

Rd and Cd represent the impedance associated with the electrode-electrolyte
interface
Rs series resistance.

Biopotential electrode impedance

as a function of frequency

EMG amplifiers
Amplitudes of the EMG signal :
Surface EMG electrodes - maximum amplitude of 5 mV peak-to-peak
Indwelling electrodes amplitude of up to 10 mV
Single m.a.p. electrodes amplitude of 100 mV
Noise level of the amplifier is the amplitude of the higher frequency random
signal on the output of the amplifier when the electrodes are shorten together.
Noise level of the amplifier should not exceed 50 mV,
(preferably 20mV).
Amplifier gain the ratio of the output voltage to the input voltage

Input impedance of an amplifier of biosignals

The resistance of the electrode-skin interface depends on:
thickness of the skin layer,
the cleaning of the skin prior to the attachment of the electrodes,
the area of the electrode surface,
temperature.
Electrode paste
decreases the resistance
between the electrode
and the skin.

Input impedance of an amplifier of biosignals

EMG amplifiers should possess high input resistance

The capacitance between the electrode and the skin causes
frequency distortions.

Frequency response of the EMG amplifier

Frequency bandwidth
All frequencies present
in the EMG should be
amplified at one and the
same level.

Bandwidth the difference between upper cutoff frequency f2 and the lower cutoff
frequency f1.
The gain of the amplifier at f1 and f2 is 0.707 from the gain of the gain in the midfrequency region (half-power).
Amplifier gain:
Example: linear gain 1000, or 60 dB; gain at the cutoff frequencies 57 dB (3dB less than that at
the mid-frequencies).

The EMG amplifier should amplify equally all EMG frequency components.

Most of the EMG signals are concentrated in the band

between 20 and 200 Hz.

Recommended range of the EMG amplifiers:

from 10 Hz to 1000 Hz when the signal is collected with surface
electrodes;
from 20 Hz to 2000 Hz when the signal is collected with
indwelling electrodes.

Interferences:
Hum from power line (60 Hz in the USA and 50 Hz in Europe)in the middle of the EMG spectrum
Movement artifacts their frequency lies in the 0 to 10 Hz range
dont cause big problems
Noise from low quality cabling systems interfere with the
baseline of the EMG signal; can be eliminated by good low
frequency filtering (by setting of f1 to about 20 Hz).

Influence of the choice of f1 and f2 to the output signal

Common mode rejection

The human body acts as antenna to pick up any electromagnetic radiation that is
present.

Radiation: from domestic power lines, fluorescent lighting, and electrical

machinery.

Single-ended amplifier

Differential amplifier

A perfect subtraction
never occurs.

Common mode rejection ratio (CMRR)

CMRR is measured in dB.

In good quality EMG amplifiers CMRR should be 10,000 (80 dB) or higher.

Processing of EMG
Example:
1. Half of full-wave rectification (absolute value)
2. Linear envelope (low-pass filtering of the rectified signal)
main decision here is the choice of the low pass filter!
3. Integration of the signal from (2) over the period of the muscle
contraction area under the curve
4. Integration of the signal from (2) for a fixed time, reset to zero,
and repeating the integration cycle such scheme represents the
trend of the EMG amplitude with time
5. Integration of the signal from (2) to a present level, reset to zero,
and repeating the integration cycle represents the level of the
muscle activity (high or low muscle activity).

Diagram of several common EMG processing systems and the processing results

Biopotential amplifiers
Basic amplifier requirements:
1. The physiological process to be monitored should not be influenced in any way
by the amplifier
2. The measured signal should be not distorted
3. The amplifier should provide the best possible separation of signal and
interferences
4. The amplifier should offer protection of the patient from any hazard and electric
shock
5. The amplifier should be protected against damages due to high input voltages.

The input signal to the amplifier consists of 5 components:

1. Desired biopotential
2. Undesired biopotentials
3. A power line interference signal and its harmonics
4. Interference signals generated by the tissue-electrode interface
5. Noise.

Block diagram of a biopotential amplifier

FET transistors

Galvanic
decoupling of
the patient

Motion artifacts the contact between the electrode and the tissue changes
during the relative motions between the electrodes and the tissue.
Measures for decreasing the motion artifacts:
High input resistance of the amplifier
Usage of non-polarized electrodes (Ag/AgCl)
Reduction of the source impedance by usage of electrode gel.
Artifacts due to electric and magnetic fields Example.

Amplitude/frequency characteristics of the

bioamplifiers used in different applications

Special circuits which built the biopotential amplifier

Instrumentation amplifiers

DC instrumentation amplifiers

AC instrumentation amplifiers
AC amplifiers eliminate the electrode offset potential, permit high gain and
permits higher CMRR.
The capacitors between the electrodes and the input stage of the amplifier cause
charging effects from the input bias current.

Isolation amplifier

Isolation is realized in the following technologies:

Transformer isolation
Opto-isolation.
Isolation provides a complete galvanic separation between the input stage
(patient) and the other part of the measure equipment.

Surge protection of the bioamplifiers

Protection of the amplifier from damage due to surge input potentials.

Diodes
Zener diodes
Gas-discharge tubes

Input guarding
Technique for increase both the input impedance of the amplifier of biopotentials and
the CMRR
Instrumentation
amplifier providing
input guarding

Driven-right-leg circuit
reducing common-mode
interference.