Novel Approach for Wireless EMG Database Collection: Applied to Muscle Building Workout Routine Optimization

In this paper, we propose a novel process in database collection of wireless Electromyogram (w-EMG) specific to muscle building workout routines. This database would aid physical therapists, athletic trainers and rehabilitation experts in assessing the level of each subject in terms of muscle performance and quality in correlation with his/her gender, age, and training experience. For that endeavor, our database consisted of 6 groups of subjects, 3 of which are men and the others being women, each being classified as Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced. Before reaching the phase where our database is classified, accurate metrics are computed for each subject according to a customized protocol of w-EMG acquisition based on a novel method of simultaneous Repetition Maximum (RM) computation and 3-axis accelerometry as a posture indicator neglected in the literature. Upon implementation of the acquisition protocol, a Muscle Quality Index (MQI) is calculated and compared against standard ranges that we set based on large population testing and the determination of the statistical distribution of subject MQI based on muscular development and qualitative data analysis of each subject. Our approach for the collection of EMG signals is the use of Delsys Trigno Wireless EMG System that is available in Rafik Hariri University on a specific muscle group which is the biceps. The reason for our paper is to show the study of a dynamic muscle movement along with its characteristics thus enhancing and optimizing the workout routine for each person according to his/her own muscle characteristics. As a result to our extensive w-EMG acquisition, we ended up with MQI ranges for 3 different muscle quality levels based on which the muscle building workout shall be customized.