Improved MUP Template Estimation Using Local Time Warping and Kernel Weighted Averaging.

A motor unit potential (MUP) template, which represents the shapes of the MUPs within a MUP train, provides information related to the morphology and physiology of the sampled motor unit. This work presents an improved MUP template estimation technique that uses local time warping and kernel weighted ensemble averaging. An analysis of the algorithm, and a description of the improvements compared with spike triggered averaging is given. MUP template estimates were evaluated using simulated EMG signals with a known gold standard template for each motor unit potential train. Statistically significant reduction in template estimation error is shown, both within the baseline and duration portions of a MUP.