Insights into motor impairment assessment using myographic signals with artificial intelligence: A scoping review

Myographic signals can effectively detect and assess subtle changes in muscle function; however, their measurement and analysis are often limited in clinical settings compared to inertial measurement units (IMUs). Recently, the advent of artificial intelligence (AI) has made the analysis of complex myographic signals more feasible. This scoping review aims to examine the use of myographic signals in conjunction with AI for assessing motor impairments, while also highlighting potential limitations and future directions. We conducted a systematic search using specific keywords in the Scopus and PubMed databases. After a thorough screening process, 111 relevant studies were selected for review. These studies were organized based on target applications (measurement modality, modality location, and AI model purpose/application), sample demographics (age, sex, ethnicity, and pathology), and AI models (general approach and algorithm type). Among the various myographic measurement modalities, surface electromyography (sEMG) was the most commonly used. In terms of AI approaches, machine learning with feature engineering was the predominant method, with classification tasks being the most common application of AI. Our review also noted a significant bias in participant demographics, with a greater representation of males compared to females and healthy individuals compared to patient groups. Overall, our findings suggest that integrating myographic signals with AI has the potential to provide more objective and clinically relevant assessments of motor impairments.