Silver Nanoparticle Modified Flexible EMG Sensors for Reduced Motion Artifacts during Dynamic Construction Environments

Wearable health monitoring advancements in electronics and AI offer new solutions for construction workers, who face high rates of musculoskeletal issues. Traditional EMG sensors, designed for controlled clinical settings, suffer from poor skin contact and high impedance in dynamic field environments. To overcome these limitations, we present a flexible EMG sensor featuring a serpentine-patterned design that enhances adaptability and reduces motion artifacts. Finite element analysis of five space-filling fractal geometries identified the serpentine pattern as having the largest skin contact area and lowest strain. A case study evaluated the sensor’s performance while performing construction tasks (material handling), showing marked improvements in signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and a significant reduction in motion artifacts. Compared to standard commercial electrodes, the flexible sensor demonstrated up to a 37% improvement in SNR, highlighting its superior ability to deliver reliable EMG signals. This innovation holds considerable potential for improving health monitoring deployments in construction environments.