MYOLINK esports: Exploring EMG-based Control Interface Through Muscle Activation and Inhibition to Enable Common Gameplay Mechanics among Players with and without Physical Disabilities

Paper Title

MYOLINK esports: Exploring EMG-based Control Interface through Muscle Activation and Inhibition to Enable Common Gameplay Mechanics among Players with and without Physical Disabilities

Publication Info

• Topic area: Accessibility and inclusivity in esports through EMG-based control systems.
• Keywords: EMG-based interface, inclusive esports, muscle activation, physical disabilities, accessibility, MYOLINK esports, kinetics-based control, assistive technology, gameplay mechanics, user studies.

Background and Problem

• Problem / challenge: Traditional esports rely on kinematics-based controls (e.g., body posture, joystick movements), which pose significant accessibility barriers for individuals with physical disabilities. Existing assistive technologies often focus on hardware or software adaptations but fail to provide a universal solution for inclusive gameplay.
• Significance: Making esports accessible to individuals with physical disabilities can foster social inclusion and provide new opportunities for engagement in competitive gaming.
• Motivation and related work: Prior research has explored assistive technologies like adaptive controllers and player balancing but has not addressed the potential of kinetics-based control using muscle activity. This paper builds on the idea of using electromyography (EMG) signals to enable gameplay mechanics independent of physical condition.

Solution

• Proposed approach: MYOLINK esports system, an EMG-based control interface (EMG-IF) that translates muscle activation and inhibition into game commands, enabling inclusive gameplay for individuals with and without physical disabilities.
• Novelty:
  1. Introduction of a kinetics-based control paradigm for esports, shifting from traditional kinematics-based methods.
  2. Demonstration of EMG-IF as a common gameplay mechanic for players with diverse physical abilities.
  3. Exploration of secondary benefits and unique game content enabled by EMG-based control.
• Procedure and key techniques:
  • EMG signals are captured using surface sensors and processed to distinguish between muscle activation and inhibition.
  • Calibration adjusts thresholds for command activation based on individual muscle activity.
  • Two user studies and two case studies were conducted to evaluate usability, inclusivity, and practical applicability.

Results

• Concrete findings:
  • EMG-IF control accuracy is minimally affected by body movement range and is comparable between able-bodied and disabled participants.
  • Participants with disabilities achieved similar or higher ball-approach accuracy than able-bodied participants in some cases.
  • Disability-related involuntary muscle activity and unintended co-contraction remain challenges for the interface.
• Advantage over baselines:
  • EMG-IF reduces the need for individualized assistive technologies by relying on common motor abilities.
  • It provides a universal framework for gameplay mechanics, enabling participation across a wide range of physical abilities.
• Experiments / evaluation:
  • User Study 1: 20 able-bodied participants tested EMG-IF in a steering task and a free-game task using Rocket League.
  • User Study 2: 8 participants with physical disabilities tested the same tasks, with results compared to the able-bodied group.
  • Case Study 1: Explored the coexistence of EMG-IF and conventional controllers in competitive gameplay formats.
  • Case Study 2: Investigated movement characteristics and gameplay impressions using a custom cooperative game.
• Limitations and future work:
  • Challenges include involuntary muscle activity, co-contraction, and low EMG signal amplitude in some users.
  • Future work involves developing affordable EMG sensors, expanding to a broader range of disabilities, and investigating long-term usability and professional-level inclusivity.

Summary

This paper introduces the MYOLINK esports system, an EMG-based control interface that enables inclusive gameplay mechanics by shifting from kinematics-based to kinetics-based controls. Through user studies and case studies, the system demonstrated comparable usability for able-bodied and disabled participants, highlighting its potential to reduce the need for assistive technologies. However, challenges such as involuntary muscle activity and signal variability remain. The findings suggest that MYOLINK esports could establish a distinct genre within esports, offering accessibility, secondary benefits like physical exercise, and unique game content. Future research will focus on sensor development, broader inclusivity, and professional-level competition.