Quantifying activity of the erector spinae longissimus subgroup using EMG during prolonged driving

Eltayeb, Muhammad Alfatih and Azmi, Nur Liyana and Haja Mohideen, Ahmad Jazlan (2026) Quantifying activity of the erector spinae longissimus subgroup using EMG during prolonged driving. IIUM Engineering Journal, 27 (2). pp. 496-505. ISSN 1511-788X E-ISSN 2289-7860

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Abstract

Prolonged driving has been associated with localized muscle fatigue, particularly in the lumbar region, posing safety and ergonomic concerns. This study investigates the dynamics of multivariate surface electromyography (sEMG) features to detect fatigue during extended driving sessions. EMG signals were recorded from the erector spinae muscles of seven subjects across two backrest inclination angles (100°, 110°) during real-world, multi-hour driving tasks. Spectrogram-based features, including mean frequency (MNF), median frequency (MDF), and root-mean-square (RMS), were extracted using a sliding-window method for analysis. Co-temporal trends in these features were analyzed to identify fatigue regions, marked by simultaneous decreases in MNF and MDF and/or increases in RMS. Paired t-tests were used to compare the two backrest inclination angles across subjects for each fatigue duration and fatigue event count. Results demonstrate that seat inclination angle significantly affects fatigue duration and number of events, with the 100° angle leading to notably more fatigue than 110° (p<0.01). This work could contribute a framework for time-resolved, EMG fatigue modeling in realistic driving scenarios

Item Type:	Article (Journal)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	prolonged driving, muscle fatigue, low back pain, emg
Subjects:	T Technology > T Technology (General)
Kulliyyahs/Centres/Divisions/Institutes (Can select more than one option. Press CONTROL button):	Kulliyyah of Engineering Kulliyyah of Engineering > Department of Mechatronics Engineering
Depositing User:	Dr Nur Liyana Azmi
Date Deposited:	14 May 2026 15:05
Last Modified:	14 May 2026 15:05
Queue Number:	2026-05-Q3320
URI:	http://irep.iium.edu.my/id/eprint/128952

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