Automatic detection of muscle activity from mechanomyogram signals: a comparison of amplitude and wavelet-based methods

Knowledge of muscle activity timing is critical to many clinical applications, such as the assessment of muscle coordination and the prescription of muscle-activated switches for individuals with disabilities. In this study, we introduce a continuous wavelet transform (CWT) algorithm for the detection of muscle activity via mechanomyogram (MMG) signals. CWT coefficients of the MMG signal were compared to scale-specific thresholds derived from the baseline signal to estimate the timing of muscle activity. Test signals were recorded from the flexor carpi radialis muscles of 15 able-bodied participants as they squeezed and released a hand dynamometer. Using the dynamometer signal as a reference, the proposed CWT detection algorithm was compared against a global-threshold CWT detector as well as amplitude-based event detection for sensitivity and specificity to voluntary contractions. The scale-specific CWT-based algorithm exhibited superior detection performance over the other detectors. CWT detection also showed good muscle selectivity during hand movement, particularly when a given muscle was the primary facilitator of the contraction. This may suggest that, during contraction, the compound MMG signal has a recurring morphological pattern that is not prevalent in the baseline signal. The ability of CWT analysis to be implemented in real time makes it a candidate for muscle-activity detection in clinical applications.