Main LISiN Projects (1997-2018) Objectives and Results

EU Projects
ESA and ASI Projects
1. Microgravity effects on skeletal muscles investigated by surface electromyography and mechanomyography (MESM, 2001-2003)
2. Osteoporosis and muscular atrophy (OSMA, 2006-2008)
National and local projects

The Projects listed above are shortly described in the following. Results of these and other projects have been reported in about 150 publications and in the following textbooks:

Hermens H., Freriks B, Merletti R., Stegeman D., Blok J., Rau G., Disselhorst-Klug C., Hagg G., European Recommendations for Surface Electromyography, RRD publish. ISBN 90-75452-15-2, 1999.
Hermens H., Freriks B, Merletti R., Stegeman D., Blok J., Rau G., Disselhorst-Klug C., Hagg G., Raccomandazioni Europee per l’Elettromiografia di Superficie, Edizione italiana a cura di R. Merletti, Coop. Lib. Univ. Torinese (CLUT), ISBN 88-7992-1525, 2000
Merletti (editor) , Elementi di elettromiografia di superficie, Coop. Lib. Univ. Torinese (CLUT), ISBN 88-7922-153-3, 2000
Pozzo M., Farina D., Merletti R., Electromyography: detection, processing and applications, in: Handbook of biomedical technology and devices, J. E. Moore (ed.), CRC Press, 2003
Merletti R., Parker P.A. (edts.), Electromyography: Physiology, engineering and non invasive applications, IEEE Press / J Wiley, USA, 2004
Rainoldi A., Minetto M., Merletti R. (edtrs), Biomedical Engineering in Exercise and Sports Edizioni Minerva Medica, Torino, Italy, 2006,
Barbero R., Rainoldi A, Merletti R. Atlas of muscle innervation zones: understanding surface EMG and its applications, Springer, Italy, 2012
Merletti R., Pelvic floor EMG: principles, technique and applications, Ch 7 of “Childbirth related pelvic floor dysfunctions”, Springer, Italy, 2016.
Merletti R, Farina D. (edts) Surface Electromyography: physiology, engineering and applications, IEEE Press / J Wiley, USA, May 2016

Further information, publications and reports about the Projects described below can be requested to [email protected]. Additional recent material is available on www.lisin.polito.it. Teaching material based on these projects will soon be availble

EU Projects

EU Project

Surface Electromyography for non invasive assessment of muscle (SENIAM, 1997-1999)

Objectives: Promote collaborations among European Research Groups, publish and disseminate EU Recommendations and guide-lines on surface EMG. Promote integration between basic and clinical research and the training of clinical operators at the EU level.

Results: Four thematic workshops on sEMG topics. Publication of EU guide-lines in seven volumes and one summary volume translated in Italian. Distribution of a CD containing the results of the project. Publication of a special issue of the Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology. Publication of a textbook in Italian. Creation of the website www.seniam.org.

Participating Countries: The Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Finland, Greece, Switzerland.

Comments: Successive works, in particular related to electrode size and inter-electrode distance, have partially modified these recommendations.

EU Project

Prevention of muscle disorders in operation of computer input devices (PROCID, 1999-2001)

Objectives: To investigate the mechanisms of occupational pathologies rapidly increasing among computer operators. Share EU experiences and knowledge, identify investigation techniques and disseminate them.

Results: Development of EMG-based investigation techniques. Organization of two international congresses Development of sensors, instrumentation and software.

Participating Countries: Sweden, Italy, Switzerland, Denmark.

EU Project

Neuromuscular assessment in the elderly worker (NEW, 2001-2004)

Objectives: Investigate neuromuscular pathologies of elederly workers. Identify relevant variables. Disseminate EMG-based techniques.

Results: Development of new mthodologies, of new sensors, instrumentation and software. Organization of an international meeting and publication of proceedings.

Participating Countries: Italy, Switzerland, Denmark, Germany, The Netherlands, Sweden

DOWNLOAD del volume degli atti (5 MB).

EU Project

On asymmetry in sphincters (OASIS, 2002-2004)

Objectives: Development of minimally invasive sEMG techniques to investigate asymmetries of the pelvic floor muscles and forms of fecal and urinary incontinence.

Results: Special electrode systems, hardware and software have been developed and tested to detect and interpret the EMG of the anal and urethral sphincters and of the puborectalis muscle. Results have been published in a special issue of Digestion, vol 69, n. 2, pg. 83-130 and in chapters of two textbooks.

Participating Countries: Italy, Germany, Spain, The Netherlands

Progetto Compagnia di San Paolo, Torino

Technologies for anal sphincter analysis and incontinence (TASI, 2005-2010)

Objectives: Application of the results of OASIS to the investigation of child delivery lesions due to episiotomy and spontaneous lacerations.

Results: Application of EMG techniques for the automatic identification of the innervation zone of the anal sphincter. Clinical study carried out on 500 women pre- and post-partum. Results are published in two chapters of books and in two articles on International Urogynecology Journ. 2014; 25: 1097–1103 and 2014; 25:1491–1499. Results have also been described in many seminars and congress presentations.

Participating countries: Italy, Slovenia, Latvia, Germany, Ucrainia

DOWNLOAD Final Report TASI-2 (1.5 MB).

EU Project

Cybernetic manufacturing systems (CYBERMANS, 2006-2009)

Objectives: Identification of occupational activities that can generate neuromuscular pathologies. Design of ergonomic workstations and assistive devices (Cobot).

Results: Specific sensors hardware and software have been developed. A prototype of Intelligent Work Assistant Device has been implemented. Workshops, courses and training initiatives have been organized.

Participating countries: Italy, Denmark, Germany, The Netherlands.

EU Project - (Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowship)

Decomposition of multichannel surface electromyograms (DEMUSE, 2006-2008)

Objectives: Develop an algorithm for the decomposition of sEMG signal into the constituent action potential trains in order to reveal the muscle control strategies implemented by the CNS.

Results: 2D sEMG electrode arrays and automatic decomposition software have been developed. The algorithms have been tested using simulated signals. These tools have been successfully applied in other projects concerning tremor and other pathologies.

Participating countries: Slovenia, Italy.

Contatto: Prof. Aleš Holobar, University of Maribor, Slovenia, [email protected]

ESA and ASI Projects

ESA Project (ESA and Compagnia di San Paolo)

Microgravity effects on skeletal muscles investigated by surface electromyography and mechanomyography (MESM, 2001-2003)

Objectives: Development of techniques for non-invasive assessment of neuromuscular changes due to microgravity.

Results: Development of methodologies for

detection of sEMG with 2D elecrode arrays
detection of mechanomyographic signals by means of accelerometers

Development of hardware and software for the investigation of sEMG during voluntary and electrically elicited contractions. The developed techniques are relevant in sport and rehabilitation medicine.

Participating countries: Italy, Sweeden.

ASI Project

Osteoporosis and muscular atrophy (OSMA, 2006-2008)

Objectives: Application of sEMG technologies for non-invasive assessment of muscle atrophy induced by microgravity.

Results: Development of hardware and software for the investigation of sEMG during voluntary and electrically elicited contractions. The developed techniques are relevant in sport and rehabilitation medicine.

Participating institutions: ASI, ESA, LISIN-Politecnico di Torino.

National and local projects

Compagnia di San Paolo

LISIN-SUISM Project (2009-2012)

Objectives: Development of teaching material about sEMG and its clinical applications oriented to students of physical therapy and movement sciences. Development of joint research projects focusing of sport and movement sciences, on the assessment of movement and fatigue.

Results: An on-line bilingual and multimedia teaching tool has been developed and focused on basic biomechanics, signal analysis, biophysics of EMG generation, sEMG detection, processing and interpretation techniques. The platform was based on Adobe Flash Player which is no longer available since 2016. A main result is the textbook “Atlas of muscle innervation zones: understanding surface EMG and its applications” Barbero R., Rainoldi A, Merletti R. published by Springer, Italy, 2012.

Participating institutions Scuola Universitaria Interfacoltà di Scienze Motorie della Università di Torino (SUISM); LISIN, Politecnico di Torino.

Regione Piemonte (Ricerca Sanitaria Finalizzata 2009) Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Saluzzo, Compagnia di San Paolo

NICEM Project - Neuromuscular Investigation and Conditioning in Endocrine Myopathies (NICEM, 2010-2013)

Objectives: To study cramps. To investigate neuromuscular changes induced by endocrine and drug-induced myopathies. To study neuromuscular electrical stimulation as a possible tool to assess changes in healthy subjects and in subjects affected by these pathologies.

Results: Eleven studies have been carried out to a) investigate the sEMG during cramps, b) to assess the neuromuscular changes induced by Cushing disease and by excess of glucocorticoids. The projects resulted in 12 publications on peer reviewed international journals.

Participating institutions Divisione di Endocrinologia, Diabetologia e Metabolismo della Università di Torino; LISIN-Politecnico di Torino.

Ministero della Salute

BIO-MSD Project - Pre-clinical indicators for the prevention of musculo-skeletal pathologirs pathologies of the upper extremities (BIO-MSD, 2011-2013)

Objectives: to improve the understanding of musculoskeletal disorders of the upper extremities and provide objective criteria for their diagnosis, classification and assessment using non-invasive techniques.

Results: Chemical, mechanical, electrophysiological and sensory biomarkers have been investigated in healthy subjects and in subjects affected by occupational pathologies.

Participating institutions Servizio di Epidemiologia della Regione Piemonte, Dipart. di Neuroscienze della Università di Torino, Unità di medicina del lavoro del CTO di Torino, LISIN-Politecnico di Torino.

Compagnia di San Paolo

GAME Project - Glucocorticoid actions on motor control in the elderly (GAME, 2011-2015)

Objectives: To study the effect of acute treatment with glucocorticoids on the production and control of muscle force.

Results: Two studies investigated the effect of dexamethasone on corticospinal mechanisms through the sEMG response to transcranial magnetic stimulation. Two additional studies investigated the response of the gastrocnemius muscle to electrical stimulation. Results are described in two publications on Artif. Organs (2011) and Med Sci Sports Exerc. (2013).

Participating institutions Laboratory of Applied Biology, ULB Neuroscience Institute, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium; Divisione di Diabetologia e Metabolismo della Università di Torino; LISIN-Politecnico di Torino, Italy.

Progetto Lagrange (Fondazione CRT) Varier Furniture

Neuromuscular assessment in musicians (2013-2017)

Objectives: To improve the understanding of motor control of muscles of the upper limb and back in violin and piano players. Compare chairs and postures using surface EMG technology.

Results: A first study demonstrated the correlation between the activities of the erector spinae muscles, the string played and the chair used. A second study compared the sEMG amplidude associated to two chairs and demonstrated that one was preferable to the other. The project produced three publications on international Journals (MPPA and JEK) and a fourth is in preparation.

Participating institutions Progetto Lagrange, LISIN-Politecnico di Torino, Conservatori di Torino, Alessandria e Cuneo, Varier Furniture Italia.

Final reports:

Compagnia di San Paolo Associazione Italiana Fisioterapisti

COMES Projects - Motor control and surface electromyography: Development of models and teaching tools (COMES, 2018)

Objectives: To promote collaborations with physical therapists, kinesiologists and movement scientists for developing a package of teaching material, available on-line, on basic biomechanics and sEMG.

Results: The material is structured in 10 modules each containing 40-60 slides, animations and movies.

Table of contents:

Physics of basic mechanical phenomena
Basic biomechanics
Physics of basic electrical phenomena
Basic concepts of analysis and processing of bioelectric signals
Basic concepts of neurophysiology and mechanisms of generation of the sEMG
Detection of the sEMG signal: correct modalities and common errors
Parameters and variables of the sEMG signal
European Recommendations and their updating
Mathematical models and computer simulations of sEMG signals
Examples and recording and interpretation of sEMG signals.

Participating institutions LISIN-Politecnico di Torino, AIFI, SIF, Univ. of Birmingham (UK), Northwestern Univ. (Chicago).