Did you know your muscles produce electricity every time you move or flex? Electromyography, or EMG, is the measurement of the tiny voltages generated across your muscles when you use them. EMG is typically performed in medical settings, and EMG devices are expensive and complex.
Soon you will be able to measure you muscle signals at home using a biosensor device that costs less than $100. That device is called FlexVolt, and creator Brendan Flynn developed it with the goal of making medical sensing technology accessible to everybody. Flynn says the targeted applications are education, physical therapy feedback and motivational games, and alternative human-machine interfaces.
Why make a low-cost EMG biosensor?
“Like most medical tech, medical EMG devices are pricy, so you are not likely to see them in classrooms for student projects, or at home to supplement daily physical therapy exercises. We’re trying to change that with a simple and affordable EMG sensor,” says Flynn.
The FlexVolt connects to your computer using a USB cable. It then connects to your muscles using surface electrode stickers and leads similar to those seen used in heart monitors (How to connect). “It doesn’t get old for me, watching the amplified signals on the screen, realizing my muscles produce electricity,” says Flynn. He has developed a suite of computer apps that let you measure and analyze signals, create interactive exercise routines, or even control your computer mouse with your muscles to play physical therapy games.
For those who want more flexibility, there is also a FlexVolt Arduino shield. It plugs directly into an Arduino and can be used in portable projects without a computer!
Where do you get one?
Flynn is currently running a Kickstarter campaign to raise money for an initial production run, and both USB units and Arduino Shields are available. FlexVolt units will be available afterward at flexvoltbiosensor.
For more information, contact Brendan Flynn at: info@flexvoltbiosensor.com
or visit the website or Kickstarter page
