Get insights into muscle activity with MCP609 and PIC32MZ1024EFH064

Optimize your workouts with monitoring

Published Jul 27, 2023

Click board™

EMG Click

Dev Board

PIC32MZ clicker

Compiler

NECTO Studio

MCU

PIC32MZ1024EFH064

Enhance your solution's diagnostic capabilities by incorporating cutting-edge techniques for measuring the electrical activity of muscles, providing precise and valuable insights into muscular performance and health

Hardware Overview

How does it work?

EMG Click is based on the MCP609 operational amplifier from Microchip and MAX6106 micropower voltage reference, serving as a solution that measures the electrical activity produced by the skeletal muscles. EMG click is designed to run on a 5V power supply. The click board™ has an analog output (AN pin).

Electromyography, or EMG, is a diagnostic technique for measuring the electrical activity of muscles. It is often used to diagnose the health of these muscles and the neurons that control them. These neurons are called motor neurons. They transmit electrical signals, and the muscles contract when this happens.

An EMG collects these signals and translates them into a graphical representation. The onboard 3.5mm audio jack is used to connect cables/electrodes to the click board. The electrode collects voltage from the skin (a few millivolts). And the signal from the jack is amplified and filtered. Therefore, EMG Click can be divided into seven blocks.

Features overview

Development board

PIC32MZ Clicker is a compact starter development board that brings the flexibility of add-on Click boards™ to your favorite microcontroller, making it a perfect starter kit for implementing your ideas. It comes with an onboard 32-bit PIC32MZ microcontroller with FPU from Microchip, a USB connector, LED indicators, buttons, a mikroProg connector, and a header for interfacing with external electronics. Thanks to its compact design with clear and easy-recognizable silkscreen markings, it provides a fluid and immersive working experience, allowing access anywhere and under

any circumstances. Each part of the PIC32MZ Clicker development kit contains the components necessary for the most efficient operation of the same board. In addition to the possibility of choosing the PIC32MZ Clicker programming method, using USB HID mikroBootloader, or through an external mikroProg connector for PIC, dsPIC, or PIC32 programmer, the Clicker board also includes a clean and regulated power supply module for the development kit. The USB Micro-B connection can provide up to 500mA of current, which is more than enough to operate all onboard

and additional modules. All communication methods that mikroBUS™ itself supports are on this board, including the well-established mikroBUS™ socket, reset button, and several buttons and LED indicators. PIC32MZ Clicker is an integral part of the Mikroe ecosystem, allowing you to create a new application in minutes. Natively supported by Mikroe software tools, it covers many aspects of prototyping thanks to a considerable number of different Click boards™ (over a thousand boards), the number of which is growing every day.

Microcontroller Overview

MCU Card / MCU

Architecture

PIC32

MCU Memory (KB)

1024

Silicon Vendor

Microchip

Pin count

RAM (Bytes)

524288

You complete me!

Accessories

3-wire ECG/EMG cable comes with a convenient 3.5mm phone jack, and it is designed for electrocardiogram recording. This 1m cable is a practical companion for medical professionals and enthusiasts. To complement this cable, you can also use single-use adhesive ECG/EMG electrodes measuring 48x34mm, each equipped with an ECG/EMG cable stud adapter. These electrodes ensure a seamless experience when paired with our ECG/EMG cable and guarantee reliable ECG/EMG signal transmission for comprehensive cardiac monitoring. Trust in the accuracy and convenience of this setup to effortlessly record electrocardiograms and electromyograms with confidence.

Used MCU Pins

mikroBUS™ mapper

Analog Output

RE4

RST

SCK

MISO

MOSI

3.3V

Ground

GND

PWM

INT

SCL

SDA

Power Supply

Ground

GND

Take a closer look

Schematic

Step by step

Project assembly

PIC32MZ clicker front image hardware assembly

Start by selecting your development board and Click board™. Begin with the PIC32MZ clicker as your development board.

GNSS2 Click front image hardware assembly

GNSS2 Click complete accessories setup image hardware assembly

Micro B Connector Clicker Access - upright/background hardware assembly

Flip&Click PIC32MZ MCU step hardware assembly

Necto No Display image step 8 hardware assembly

Debug Image Necto Step hardware assembly

Track your results in real time

Application Output

After loading the code example, pressing the "DEBUG" button builds and programs it on the selected setup.

After programming is completed, a header with buttons for various actions available in the IDE appears. By clicking the green "PLAY "button, we start reading the results achieved with Click board™.

Upon completion of programming, the Application Output tab is automatically opened, where the achieved result can be read. In case of an inability to perform the Debug function, check if a proper connection between the MCU used by the setup and the CODEGRIP programmer has been established. A detailed explanation of the CODEGRIP-board connection can be found in the CODEGRIP User Manual. Please find it in the RESOURCES section.

Software Support

Library Description

This library contains API for EMG Click driver.

Key functions:

emg_read_an_pin_value - EMG read AN pin value function
emg_read_an_pin_voltage - EMG read AN pin voltage level function

Open Source

Code example

This example can be found in NECTO Studio. Feel free to download the code, or you can copy the code below.

/*!
 * @file main.c
 * @brief EMG Click Example.
 *
 * # Description
 * This is an example which demonstrates the use of EMG Click board.
 *
 * The demo application is composed of two sections :
 *
 * ## Application Init
 * Initializes ADC and timer counter.
 *
 * ## Application Task
 * Reads ADC value and sends results on serial plotter every 5 ms.
 *
 * @author Stefan Ilic
 *
 */

#include "board.h"
#include "log.h"
#include "emg.h"

static emg_t emg;   /**< EMG Click driver object. */
static log_t logger;    /**< Logger object. */
uint32_t time;

void application_init ( void ) {
    log_cfg_t log_cfg;  /**< Logger config object. */
    emg_cfg_t emg_cfg;  /**< Click config object. */

    /** 
     * Logger initialization.
     * Default baud rate: 115200
     * Default log level: LOG_LEVEL_DEBUG
     * @note If USB_UART_RX and USB_UART_TX 
     * are defined as HAL_PIN_NC, you will 
     * need to define them manually for log to work. 
     * See @b LOG_MAP_USB_UART macro definition for detailed explanation.
     */
    LOG_MAP_USB_UART( log_cfg );
    log_init( &logger, &log_cfg );
    log_info( &logger, " Application Init " );

    // Click initialization.
    emg_cfg_setup( &emg_cfg );
    EMG_MAP_MIKROBUS( emg_cfg, MIKROBUS_1 );
    if ( ADC_ERROR == emg_init( &emg, &emg_cfg ) ) {
        log_error( &logger, " Application Init Error. " );
        log_info( &logger, " Please, run program again... " );

        for ( ; ; );
    }
    time = 0;
    log_info( &logger, " Application Task " );
}

void application_task ( void )  {
    uint16_t emg_an = 0;
    if ( emg_read_an_pin_value( &emg, &emg_an ) == ADC_SUCCESS ){
        log_printf( &logger, " %u,%lu\r\n ", emg_an, time );
    }
    time += 5;
    Delay_ms( 5 );
}

void main ( void ) {
    application_init( );

    for ( ; ; ) {
        application_task( );
    }
}

// ------------------------------------------------------------------------ END