EMGrip: Integrating an e-textile forearm band with a computer game to detect changes in grip exertion

An increasing number of people are being diagnosed with neurodegenerative diseases every year. One of the aims of digital health is to provide innovative solutions for rehabilitation or pre-diagnosis of these diseases. In this vein, e-textiles can allow for the construction of flexible and comfortable devices to record biosignals and develop novel rehabilitation platforms. In this study, an e-textile forearm band was constructed to acquire an electromyogram (EMG: a muscle response to a nerve’s stimulation of the muscle) from the flexor muscles of the hand to detect hand grips/squeezes. A light and portable data acquisition module, as well as a computer-based virtual reality game (controlled by the acquired EMG signal) were designed. Our pilot study showed that the system is reliable in detecting hand squeezes in both 6 healthy participants (F-score: 0.88) and 6 participants with Parkinson’s disease (F-score: 0.88). Participants also rated the system to be enjoyable, comfortable, and easy to use.