Recently, the International Electrotechnical Commission has officially published the international standard Wearable electronic devices and technologies - Part 403-1: Test method of surface electromyography sensors onto forearm and hand for wearable applications(IEC 63203-403-1:2026). The standard was proposed by a Chinese expert, who also served as the project leader, and was jointly developed with experts from the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea, Finland, and other countries. It fills the gap in international standards for test methods in the field of smart wearable devices based on electromyography (EMG) sensing, and marks an important achievement by China in the international standardization of wearable electronics.

Forearm- and hand-worn surface EMG sensors are mainly used to acquire skin-surface EMG signals and decode motion intent. Such signals can be applied to scenarios including virtual reality, gaming, drones, robotic control, and home automation. In recent years, wearable EMG sensor technology has advanced rapidly with continuously expanding application boundaries; however, the absence of unified specifications for major performance parameters and test methods has resulted in uneven product performance and difficulties in evaluating data accuracy, restricting the sound development of the technology and the market. The issuance of this standard responds to an urgent industrial need and provides a standards-based support for the entire industry-chain processes of sensor design, manufacturing, inspection, application.

The standard systematically specifies the definitions, classification, test parameters, test procedures, and data-processing methods for wearable surface EMG sensors. Its release and implementation will help regulate market order, safeguard product quality and consumer rights, thus fostering cross-industry collaboration as well as sustainable growth within the wearable EMG sensor sector.