ScholarWorks@성균관대학교

초록

Electromyography (EMG)-based human–machine interfaces (HMIs) enable intuitive control of prosthetic limbs and wearable robotic systems; however, their practical reliability is often limited under dry and wet conditions due to electrode detachment and signal degradation caused by skin deformation and perspiration. In this study, we designed an octopus-inspired adhesive electrode featuring a microstructured suction architecture to achieve a mechanically robust electrode–skin interface without relying on chemical adhesives. The proposed electrode utilizes geometry-driven adhesion inspired by octopus suction cups to maintain intimate skin contact under moisture-rich environments. Adhesion measurements revealed that, while conventional flat adhesive electrodes exhibited a significant reduction in adhesion strength under wet conditions, the octopus-inspired adhesive (OIA) electrode maintained high and stable adhesion. As a direct consequence of enhanced interfacial stability, realtime EMG measurements demonstrated reliable and repeatable signal acquisition under wet conditions using the OIA electrode, whereas commercial Ag/AgCl electrodes suffered from moisture-induced delamination and abrupt signal failure. To validate the system-level impact of improved adhesion, a proof-of-concept EMG-driven control of a commercial bionic robotic hand was successfully demonstrated. These results confirm that geometry-driven adhesive microstructures play a critical role in stabilizing the electrode–skin interface, providing an effective strategy for improving the reliability of wearable EMG-based HMIs operating under realistic dry and wet environments.

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