European Community Projects on Surface Electromyography

Three European Projects dealing with Surface Electromyography (SEMG) are presented. Surface EMG for Non-Invasive Assessment of Muscles (SENIAM, 1996-2000) produced a set of European guidelines concerning EMG sensors, their positioning criteria, EMG processing, modeling and information extraction. Prevention of muscle disorders in operation of computer input devices (PROCID, 1998-2001) dealt with wire and surface EMG and provided insight in muscular disorders in computer users. Neuromuscular assessment in the Elderly Worker (NEW, 2001-2004) will apply SEMG techniques to the assessment of aging individuals performing repetitive or straining work. SEMG techniques are not meant to replace needle techniques. They provide a different kind of information which is valuable in many applications concerning ergonomics, rehabilitation, occupational, sport and geriatric medicine.