3D-printing soft sEMG sensing structures

This paper describes the development and characterization of soft and flexible 3D-printed sEMG electrodes. The electrodes are printed in one go on a low cost consumer multi-material FDM printer. The printed structures do not need any further production steps to give them conductive properties. Comparison between the gold standard Ag/AgCl gel electrodes and the printed EMG electrodes with a comparable contact area show that there is no significant difference in the EMG signal amplitude. The sensors are capable of distinguishing several levels of muscle activity of the biceps brachii. This all gives 3D-printed sEMG electrodes a high potential for creating personalized sensing structures, e.g. in prosthetic and orthotic contexts.