There has been much recent research interest in developing numerous kinds of human-machine interface. This field currently requires more accurate and reliable sensing systems to detect the intended human motion. Most conventional human-machine interface use electromyography (EMG) sensors to detect the intended motion. However, EMG sensors have a number of disadvantages and, as a consequence, the human-machine interface is difficult to use. This study describes a muscle volume sensor (MVS) that has been developed to measure variation in the outline of a muscle, for use as a human-machine interface. We developed an algorithm to calibrate the system, and the feasibility of using MVS for detecting muscular activity was demonstrated experimentally. We evaluated the performance of the MVS via isotonic contraction using the KIN-COM$^{(R)}$ equipment at torques of 5, 10, and 15 Nm.