A miniature electrode for surface electromyography during speech

A miniature recessed (i.e., cup) surface EMG electrode intended for use in the perioral region during speech has been constructed and tested. In addition to its small size and low mass, a custom acrylic electrode housing features an extruded design to yield secure attachment to the skin with skin cement rather than with conventional double adhesive collars. A durable, commercially manufactured disk of homogeneous silver and silver chloride was utilized to optimize bioelectric characteristics and durability. In relation to the commonly used fine-wire intramuscular electrode composed of platinum-iridium, this surface electrode demonstrates comparable bioelectric performance in perioral applications including low, stable, and well-matched skin-electrode impedance, a low noise floor, a surprisingly wide bandwidth, and good signal-to-noise ratios.