Visualization of Muscle Activity with EMG Sensor（Muscle Tracker™）

SMK’s original algorithm can visualize the activities of multiple muscles or detect muscle fatigue using myoelectric signals measured by an myoelectric sensor. SMK is also working to develop an algorithm to predict frailty^*. These algorithms are expected to help improve the efficiency of athletic training, analyze performance in sports such as running or golf, maintain the health of the elderly, and more.

*

Frailty: A condition of a person who is mentally and physically weakened due to aging.

Features

01 Myoelectric sensor (Sensing technology)

The myoelectric sensor (hardware) developed by SMK can eliminate body movement noise and obtain myoelectric signals suitable for analysis. It can be easily attached to athletic apparel such as tights or athletic supporters, making it easy to measure myoelectric signals.

02 Original algorithm (Analysis technology)

Muscle Tracker™ is a product that combines our original algorithm with an myoelectric sensor. The myoelectric sensor measures surface myoelectric signals (EMG) generated by muscle movement and, when used with SMK’s original algorithm, enables visualization of muscle activity or detection of muscle fatigue.

Use Cases

Training

Visualizing muscle activity or detecting muscle fatigue with MVC^* can help prevent injury or overtraining and improve training efficiency.

*

MVC: Maximum Voluntary Contraction

Running

Visualizing the effects of training or using muscle activity data can help motivate training or analyze training performance.

Golf

Analyzing the activity data of the muscles used in a golf swing helps visualize how the muscles are used, leading to a higher score. You can also compare and analyze the muscle activity data with those of professional golfers or your own historical data for effective training.

Worker support (frailty prediction)

The product can be used to prevent occupational accidents and injuries among workers at risk of frailty, and also to determine a diagnostic indicator of the physical function and fitness of workers for safety and health management, which are important issues in companies.

Support for maintaining and improving health of the elderly (frail prediction)

Frailty in the elderly can be identified by estimating age-related declines in muscle mass and strength from muscle activity status.

What is an myoelectric sensor?

The human body can move by contracting muscles. When a muscle contracts to produce force, a weak electrical current (= a myoelectric signal) flows through the muscle in response to a command from the brain. The strength of the electrical current is proportional to the strength of the muscle. This sensor measures the electrical current flowing through a muscle using an electrode attached to the skin area of the muscle to detect changes in the activity of that muscle.

Voice of the Customer

Mr. Daichi Shibata, a pitcher for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, a Japanese professional baseball team, actually wore the electromyography sensor and trained with it.

In the demonstration, Mr. Shibata wears the compression leggings sensor for his legs, and we measure the EMG potentials of his thighs (quadriceps and hamstrings).
At this time, training is mainly focused on the lower body while checking changes in myoelectric potentials in real time.

*

Because this is a prototype, the participants wore exercise spats over the electrodes.

Pitcher Shibata using the sensor.

Feedback after use

I thought it was great that by monitoring muscle activity during workouts lets me see if the muscles I want to target are actually working in real-time. Even if I believed I was moving my muscles in the correct posture, it wasn't always the case. The response of muscle potentials allowed me to notice incorrect postures, enabling me to make slight adjustments to my position. I felt that I could accurately train the targeted areas and perform effective muscle training.

Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles
Mr. Daichi Shibata (27 years old)