Muscle activity onset time detection using Teager-Kaiser energy operator

This study presents a novel method, characterized with simple implementation, to automatically detect the onset time of muscle activity using surface electromyogram (EMG) signals. The method applied Teager-Kaiser energy operator (TKEO) to highlight the motor unit activities by simultaneously considering the amplitude and frequency information of the surface EMG, and therefore increase the prospects of muscle activity detection. A robust threshold-based algorithm was then applied to the TKEO output to locate the onset time of muscle activity. The validity of the proposed method was illustrated using both experimental surface EMG recordings and various surface EMG simulations.