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EMG Biofeedback Device University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Engineering Biomedical Engineering 300 October 10th, 2003 Team Members Thomas Chia Timothy Rand Kimberly Treml Client Arleigh Birchler, MDiv, BSN Advisor John G. Webster, Ph.D. Biomedical Engineering Abstract We are designing an EMG biofeedback device that will serve as an on/off switch for a vibrating massage pad. This device will give a child with Lissencephaly some control in his life. The child will learn that he can use this device to create pleasurable sensations for himself through operant conditioning. The design utilizes two surface electrodes detecting EMG signals from the child’s quadriceps. The main design variable is the massage pad which will become a permanent fixture in the child’s chair. It must be comfortable and cohesive with the child’s ergonomics. We chose ergonomic fit as our main judgment criteria. Other judgment criteria included cost, simplicity, and durability. Our team’s conclusion was that disassembling an existing massage pad to create a customized pad is the best design option. Problem Statement The purpose of this project is to design a closed loop EMG biofeedback device that will serve as an on/off switch for a vibrating back massage pad. A small child with Lissencephaly will use this complete system allowing him to give himself a pleasurable tactile sensation at will. Using electric circuitry, the massage pad will turn on when a specific muscle creates a sufficiently large electric signal. Subsequent signals from the muscle will turn the system off. Introduction A child with a very rare condition, Lissencephaly, provides the main impetus for this project. Lissencephaly, underdevelopment of the brain due to a birth defect, affects less than 100 people worldwide (Birchler, 2003). The condition is referred to as a “smooth gray matter” condition because nerve cells migrate to abnormal positions in the brain during development and do not create normal co