Study of practical biomimetic myoelectric hand prosthesis with supplementary sensory feedback system

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

We developed a prosthetic hand which mimicked the fundamental dynamic properties of the neuromuscular control system of the natural human hand. The results obtained from the present study are summarized below.(1) We developed a new type of myoelectrically-controlled prosthetic hand which simulated the dynamic properties of the viscoelasticity of muscle and the stretch reflex. The prosthetic hand consisted of the surface EMG signals processing units, the digital servo system for a DC motor and a one-degree-of-freedom mechanical hand.(2) The utility of the developed prosthetic hand was shown by myoelectric control experiments with both a normal subject and an amputee. If was shown that the finger angle and the compliance of the prosthetic hand could be controlled voluntarily with the EMG signals and that an amputee could grasp a soft object easily with the prosthetic hand.(3) Supplementary sensory feedback system was develpped. Verbal information, for examples : "right", "left" and so on, was informed subjects with two time-series electrotactile stimulation patterns.(4) The 3D-CG (3 dimensional computer graphics) simulator of a on-off control myoelectric hand and a biomimetic myoelectric hand were developed for amputee to watch, touch and try to use the myoelectric hand easily.