A Flexible Copper Electrode Array for High-Density Surface Electromyography
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Precise monitoring of forearm muscle groups is crucial for decoding motor intentions in human-machine interfaces (HMIs) and rehabilitation. However, traditional surface electromyography (sEMG) electrodes face significant challenges in densely packed muscle regions with large skin deformations, leading to severe signal crosstalk and unstable contact. Here, we report a flexible, low-cost 16-channel copper electrode array system designed for the high-density monitoring of multiple forearm muscle activities. Through a facile fabrication process, rigid copper is transformed into a conformable sensing interface. The optimized serpentine interconnects endow the array with excellent stretchability and effectively isolate motion-induced stress, ensuring high-quality signal acquisition under complex deformations. The high-density 2 × 8 array enables the spatiotemporal mapping of distributed flexor and extensor muscle groups. Integrated with a customized wireless data acquisition system, the array successfully demonstrates real-time, multi-channel sEMG monitoring of various hand movements (e.g., fist clenching, wrist flexion/extension), clearly revealing specific muscle activation patterns. This low-cost, high-performance flexible sensor array provides a highly promising tool for complex gesture decoding, electromyographic imaging, and next-generation wearable HMIs.
Source: Bioengineering
Authors: Chaoxin Li, Chenghong Lu, Jiuqiang Li, Kai Guo
Language: English
Subfield: Biomedical Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,258
Awards: G2777903515, G7159288990
OpenAlex ID: W7154582005