We get the request for raw muscle data quite often, and are trying to find a way to handle it better in the future. The reason we don't provide it now actually has nothing to do with money (we do have a small number of research groups that pay for this, engineering support, and other services, but it represents a tiny fraction of a percent of revenue).
The reason is actually two-fold:
1. User Experience - Unfortunately you're probably the exception, in that it sounds like you may be able to build a great experience using the raw data. The reality we've found is that it requires a deep machine learning and statistical analysis background to do much useful with the data, considering the need to account for a wide variety of variations in data intra and inter person. What we're trying to prevent is developers attempting to create "custom" gestures improperly (e.g. if (myo.sensor1 > 67% && myo.sensor2 > 30%){output = Rock_On}), which will not work reliably on the population, in different orientations, etc., then the user has a bad experience, and blames the device hardware.
2. Battery Life - Streaming raw data uses much much more power than when we process the data on the device, and recognize gestures directly on-board.
We are considering options to provide this data in some way, as there are certainly good uses in some applications, such as Tennis analysis.
You could quite easily do everything the Smash device does, plus additional information on grip strength, using a Myo armband. It's all about the software!
It's great to hear that. I'm sure you've heard this already, but there are non-trivial amounts of part-time researchers who are salivating over your tech, principally as a tool for scientific exploration, or just tickering. These aren't so much people coming out a developer background, but those coming from a research background, people who can totally understand and stomach difficulties associated with EMG.
Basically, I believe there to be a great deal of people who are in similar situations to your current research group partners in technical aptitude and expectations, but differ in their financial resources - which is why your product in particular is so attractive in the first place.
I really look forward to seeing how this develops.
We get the request for raw muscle data quite often, and are trying to find a way to handle it better in the future. The reason we don't provide it now actually has nothing to do with money (we do have a small number of research groups that pay for this, engineering support, and other services, but it represents a tiny fraction of a percent of revenue).
The reason is actually two-fold:
1. User Experience - Unfortunately you're probably the exception, in that it sounds like you may be able to build a great experience using the raw data. The reality we've found is that it requires a deep machine learning and statistical analysis background to do much useful with the data, considering the need to account for a wide variety of variations in data intra and inter person. What we're trying to prevent is developers attempting to create "custom" gestures improperly (e.g. if (myo.sensor1 > 67% && myo.sensor2 > 30%){output = Rock_On}), which will not work reliably on the population, in different orientations, etc., then the user has a bad experience, and blames the device hardware.
2. Battery Life - Streaming raw data uses much much more power than when we process the data on the device, and recognize gestures directly on-board.
We are considering options to provide this data in some way, as there are certainly good uses in some applications, such as Tennis analysis.
You could quite easily do everything the Smash device does, plus additional information on grip strength, using a Myo armband. It's all about the software!