Exploring electromyography for assistive technology: feasibility, usability and performance of a dry sensor EMG switch.
Purpose: Switch access is a tool used by many individuals with physical disabilities. Switches used in assistive technology are typically electro-mechanical. Electromyography (EMG) has previously been suggested for assistive technology switch access but has been little explored. Materials and Method...
| Published in: | Disability & Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology Vol. 20; no. 7; pp. 2315 - 2327 |
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| Format: | pictorial research tables/charts Journal Article |
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Taylor & Francis Ltd
Oct2025
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| Online Access: | View this record in EBSCOhost |
| fields | @attributes: recordID: 1 pdfLink: plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ccm&AN=188362611&site=ehost-live header: @attributes: shortDbName: ccm uiTerm: 188362611 longDbName: CINAHL Complete uiTag: AN controlInfo: bkinfo: dissinfo: jinfo: jid: 17483107 1X04 jtl: Disability & Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology issn: 17483107 maglogo: Y pubinfo: dt: Oct2025 vid: 20 iid: 7 pid: 377 pub: Taylor & Francis Ltd place: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania artinfo: ui: 188362611 185144181 188362611 188362611 10.1080/17483107.2025.2501746 188362611 ppf: 2315 ppct: 12 formats: fmt: – @attributes: type: T – @attributes: type: P tig: atl: Exploring electromyography for assistive technology: feasibility, usability and performance of a dry sensor EMG switch. aug: au: Judge, Simon affil: Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Assistive Technology Team, Barnsley, United Kingdom sug: subj: Electromyography Equipment and Supplies Assistive Technology Utilization Persons with Disabilities Equipment Design Evaluation Wearable Sensors Human Male Female Funding Source Pilot Studies Exploratory Research Semi-Structured Interview Comparative Studies Reaction Time Usability Study England Cerebral Palsy Rehabilitation Health Services Accessibility Motor Neuron Diseases Rehabilitation Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne Rehabilitation Multiple Sclerosis Rehabilitation Brain Injuries Rehabilitation Descriptive Statistics Male Female ab: Purpose: Switch access is a tool used by many individuals with physical disabilities. Switches used in assistive technology are typically electro-mechanical. Electromyography (EMG) has previously been suggested for assistive technology switch access but has been little explored. Materials and Methods: An exploratory study aiming to investigate the feasibility, usability and performance of a dry sensor EMG switch when used by individuals with physical disabilities to control assistive technology was conducted. Results: Twelve participants with a range of underlying conditions trialled a novel dry sensor EMG switch. Switch reaction performance data for both EMG and conventional switches and qualitative feedback from semi-structured interviews were collected and tabulated. Results showed that the EMG switch was feasible to use in a range of placements and with a range of individuals, that it was feasible in some situations where a conventional switch was not, and that it may be more appropriate for those with hypokinetic movement disorders. Some participants described use of the EMG switch as less effortful and fatiguing. Some participants had faster reaction times using the EMG switch compared to conventional switches, the fastest average reaction time reported in the study (483 ms) was using the EMG switch. More false positive activations occurred when using the EMG switch and participants described this as impacting on usability. Setup complexity was also noted as a key usability barrier. Conclusions: This study highlights potential benefits of EMG switches but suggests further development is needed to improve ease of use and minimise false activations if EMG switches are to achieve broader adoption. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION: EMG switches, using EPS dry sensor technology, may currently be appropriate as a switch access method for those with physical disabilities. It is likely that EMG switches may be more appropriate for those with hypokinetic movement disorders such as MND and DMD. It is likely that EMG switches may be more appropriate for those where no other switch access method can be found. EMG switches may offer some performance advantage in quicker reaction times which may provide benefit for some individuals, however EMG switches using current technologies may also result in users experiencing an increased rate of false positive activations. pubtype: Academic Journal doctype: pictorial research tables/charts Journal Article ougenre: Article language: English refInfo: holdings: @attributes: islocal: N |
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