Psychophysiology uses physiological data to gain insights into psychological states, such as sweat indicating anxiety or facial tics when repressing bias. One such measure, electromyography (EMG), detects muscular movements through reading electrical impulses beneath the skin. Unfortunately, many EMG devices experience problems such as high signal noise, prohibitive setups, and high costs that restrict study design. Our project applied new technologies from soft robotics to develop an alternative to EMG. While a full study was not possible, testing of our device suggested that flexible embedded fluid sensors could function in place of EMG when examining participant stress through the trapezius muscle, and our cost analysis suggests they are significantly less expensive.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Carey, Shannon Margaret
• Milender, Samuel
• Breuer, Ryan T.

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• E-project-051520-050050

Advisor

• Skorinko, Jeanine LM
• Onal, Cagdas Denizel

Year

• 2020

Date created

• 2020-05-15

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Mechanical Engineering
• Interdisciplinary

Rights statement

• In Copyright

License

• All rights reserved