Hybrid control combined with a voluntary biosignal to control a prosthetic hand.

Abstract

In this research, the combination of fuzzy/PD and EMG signals, as direct command control, is proposed. Although fuzzy/PD strategy was used to control force position of the artificial hand, the combination of that with EMG signaling to voluntary direct command control is a novel method. In this paper, the EMG signal and its role in effective communication between a DC motor with a voltage trigger and neurofeedback are initially explained. Moreover, by introducing a filtration method, EMG pulses are obtained as stepping pulses with a signal-specific height of a voltage between 0 and 6 V, according to EMG domain voltage, with a time interval adapted from the EMG stimulus pulses. Two data points from each channel of EMG were extracted. The domain of the voltage of the EMG signal is impacted on the output of the fuzzy logic unit, and also the time amount between each stimulus of the EMG signal is the input of the PD controller. By this method, a user can influence grip position and grasping force of his/her prosthesis.