Design of a Portable EMG and ECG Signal-Based System for Upper Limb Recovery Using Data Compression

Upper limb musculoskeletal diseases, caused by overwork, excessive use of weights, etc., are becoming more common among the general population. They cause discomfort by imposing limitations on regular daily activities. Managing the issue properly and quickly increases the probability of a full recovery. In this study, we propose a device based on a custom printed circuit board that integrates two signal acquisition systems: electromyography and electrocardiography. The device is compact and lightweight and has high battery autonomy, making it useful in a variety of situations, such as providing a method of tracking the workouts performed to reduce the recovery period. A few minutes of daily exercise is sufficient for an individual recovering from an injury to train his upper limb; hence, the device offers five sets of ten exercises each, with a break in between sets and also the option of taking an additional break at any moment. It also includes a heart rate monitoring function to track effort and prevent overworking. In the background, the algorithm uses data compression to store only the relevant information-the signals during an abnormal heart rate-in the microcontroller memory. Eventually, an alternative application is presented that correlates traffic changes to biological signals.