Electromyographic control of a hands-free electrolarynx using neck strap muscles.

Unlabelled: Three individuals with total laryngectomy were studied for their ability to control a hands-free electrolarynx (EL) using neck surface electromyography (EMG) for on/off and pitch modulation. The laryngectomy surgery of participants was modified to preserve neck strap musculature for EMG-based EL control (EMG-EL), with muscles on one side maintaining natural innervation and those on the other side receiving a transferred recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN). EMG from each side of the neck controlled the EMG-EL across a day of unstructured practice followed by a day of formal training, including EMG biofeedback.