An interactive minicomputer system for the analysis of EMG spikes and twitch waveforms of human motor units

✍ Scribed by Shinji Miyazaki

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1977
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 552 KB
• Volume: 10
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0010-4809
• DOI: 10.1016/0010-4809(77)90043-x

✦ Synopsis

A man-machine interactive minicomputer system is described for the analysis of EMG spikes and twitch waveforms of motor units in man during voluntary isometriccontraction. Four EMG signals are analog-to-digital converted and displayed on graphic display. EMG spikes of up to five motor units per one EMG signal are visually discriminated by the operator and the time of occurrence of each spike is selected with a light pen. Isometric force of the muscle is then averaged with respect to the time of occurrence of EMG spikes of one motor unit, so that the twitch waveform of that motor unit can be extracted. Twitch waveforms of more than 10 motor units can be obtained from the records measured simultaneously. This system will prove valuable as a tool for the study of the mechanism involved in voluntary control of muscle force in man.