Analysis of the effectiveness of machine learning methods in the problem of gesture recognition based on the data of electromyographic signals

Gesture recognition is an urgent challenge in developing systems of human-machine interfaces. We analyzed machine learning methods for gesture classification based on electromyographic muscle signals to identify the most effective one. Methods such as the naive Bayesian classifier (NBC), logistic regression, decision tree, random forest, gradient boosting, support vector machine (SVM), $k$-nearest neighbor algorithm, and ensembles (NBC and decision tree, NBC and gradient boosting, gradient boosting and decision tree) were considered. Electromyography (EMG) was chosen as a method of obtaining information about gestures. This solution does not require the location of the hand in the field of view of the camera and can be used to recognize finger movements. To test the effectiveness of the selected methods of gesture recognition, a device was developed for recording the EMG signal, which includes three electrodes and an EMG sensor connected to the microcontroller and the power supply. The following gestures were chosen: clenched fist, “thumb up”, “Victory”, squeezing an index finger and waving a hand from right to left. Accuracy, precision, recall and execution time were used to evaluate the effectiveness of classifiers. These parameters were calculated for three options for the location of EMG electrodes on the forearm. According to the test results, the most effective methods are $k$-nearest neighbors' algorithm, random forest and the ensemble of NBC and gradient boosting, the average accuracy of ensemble for three electrode positions was 81.55 %. The position of the electrodes was also determined at which machine learning methods achieve the maximum accuracy. In this position, one of the differential electrodes is located at the intersection of the flexor digitorum profundus and flexor pollicis longus, the second — above the flexor digitorum superficialis.