A Wearable Multimodal Sensor for Simultaneous and Co-Located Muscle Electrophysiological and Mechanical Monitoring.

Abstract

Simultaneous and spatially aligned acquisition of electrical and mechanical muscle signals is essential to accurately capture neuromechanical coupling between neural activation and mechanical output. However, existing multi-device methods face issues like non-simultaneous recordings, spatial deviation, and complex setups that complicate data collection and compromise integrity. Here, we present a wearable multimodal sensor that simultaneously acquires surface electromyography (sEMG), surface muscle pressure (SMP), and mechanomyography (MMG) at the same location using a single sensing material and integrated structure. This long-term stable system demonstrates high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR, 27.4 dB) and reusability for electrophysiological recordings, along with excellent mechanical performance, including low detection limit (≈25 Pa), broad pressure range (0-320 kPa), and fast response (≈16 ms). System-level validation across exercise, fatigue, and rehabilitation scenarios confirms robust capture of muscle neuromechanical dynamics. This work provides a high-performance yet simplified platform for wearable muscle monitoring, with potential impact in rehabilitation robotics and human-machine interfacing.