Objectives: The objective of this preliminary investigation was to determine if surface electromyography (EMG) equipment is capable of detecting electrical signals that can be used as a measure in biofield research.
Design: These preliminary data were collected from one subject (a member of the research team), using the subject as his own control. Resting state data are compared to data collected during a specific Healing Touch (HT) intervention.
Settings/location: The setting was in an electromagnetically shielded room (a modular enclosure utilizing two separate conductive electromagnetic barriers, which were electrically isolated, attached by a single-point ground connection) at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI.
Intervention: Data were collected during a resting state, and subsequently during a partial "HT back sequence." The back sequence is a standard HT procedure consisting of "Connecting the Lower Body," "Open Spinal Energy Flow," a "Vertebral Spiral Technique," and other techniques taught in HT level 2.
Measures: Electrodes were attached to the back of the subject at eight acupoints. The Model 544 EMG System (amplifier and electrode assembly) (Therapeutics Unlimited, Inc. Iowa City, IA) was used to acquire data. The raw data were divided into discrete time segments and converted from the time domain into the frequency domain by performing a fast Fourier transform. Integer frequency averaging was conducted to allow for ease of interpretation. Using the voltages at each frequency, the signal strength was calculated in decibels.
Results: A 0-65 Hz frequency spectrum was obtained from the surface EMG apparatus. An averaged baseline, "resting state" frequency spectrum was definable for the subject that was stable with time for signal strengths >0 dB. When the HT practitioner attuned with the subject, higher frequency components of the spectrum increased in amplitude, peaked, then decreased throughout the intervention.
Conclusions: The conclusions drawn from these results is that the surface EMG apparatus has potential as a measurement device for biofield research. Further experimentation using this device for biofield measurement is encouraged.