Simplified biosignal processing blocks for prototyping and educational applications

The evolution of Microelectromechanical system (MEMS) technology has made exceedingly sophisticated sensors available to a larger audience. This provides an opportunity to find new applications to utilize these sensors, and not just in the medical field. The parallel advent of a Do-It- Yourself culture, especially concerning embedded systems and electronics has created an environment for rapid prototyping projects that require less technical skill allowing users to play with much more freedom. This has also opened new avenues in computer and electronics education. To ease this exploration for developers and students lacking advanced knowhow, there is a concerted effort to simplify the components. Noteworthy efforts on this front can be seen in the popularity of development kits such as those of Arduino and Little bits that uncomplicate the use of electronics and programming. We focused our interest on developing data processing modules using microcontroller systems (specifically the Arduino) for Bitalino Electromyography sensors to convert the raw signal into usable level data. In this study we detail the different techniques used to clean the signal and the cumulative effects of these techniques. The techniques being process intensive, are not recommended for critical applications but would suffice for applications in rapid prototyping, hobby projects and other non-critical operations. Furthermore, we touch upon how these techniques may be employed to translate other kinds of data inputs from both from biosensors and otherwise, and their relevance to fostering curiosity in electronics.