Arguello Prada, Erick Javier (Asesor)Escobar Manrique, SantiagoGordon Uribe, Werner2026-06-022026-06-022026Escobar Manrique, S. Escobar Manrique, S. (2026). Monitoreo del proceso de masticación mediante sensores de fotopletismografía: estudio de factibilidad. Universidad Santiago de Cali.https://repositorio.usc.edu.co/handle/20.500.12421/9400Mastication is an essential function in the digestive and orofacial system, understood as the coordinated activity of the facial muscles and structures involved in chewing, swallowing, and mandibular posture, making it relevant to explore non-invasive methods that allow its evaluation with greater comfort and accuracy. This study assessed the feasibility of using photoplethysmography (PPG) sensors to record mandibular movements during the chewing process. An experimental setup was designed with two PPG sensors positioned on the chin and the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), along with a reference electromyography (EMG) sensor placed on the masseter muscle. Data was collected from twenty-four participants while they chewed foods of different textures, including controlled intervals of rest and speech. The signals were filtered, normalized using a robust z-score, and analyzed through non-parametric Kruskal–Wallis and Dunn-Šidák tests. The results showed that the chin PPG channel partially reflected changes related to mandibular movement, although no statistically significant differences were found between chewing and resting phases. In contrast, the EMG signal displayed clear variations among conditions, confirming its sensitivity to muscle effort. These findings suggest that, while PPG does not yet allow precise discrimination of masticatory events, its behavior demonstrates the technical feasibility of this approach and its potential for future applications in portable orofacial monitoring systems aimed at detecting speech and chewing patterns.application/pdf20 PáginasesThesisAcceso AbiertoReconocimiento 4.0 Internacional (CC BY 4.0)PhotoplethysmographyElectromyographyMasticationOrofacial monitoring