Myoelectric hand prosthesis force control through servo motor current feedback
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Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Force and Position Control in Humans - The Role of Augmented Feedback
Published on: June 19, 2016
Tálita Saemi Payossim Sono1, Luciano Luporini Menegaldo
1Mechanical Engineering Department, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
Abstract:
This paper presents the prehension force closed-loop control design of a mechanical finger commanded by electromyographic signal (EMG) from a patient's arm. The control scheme was implemented and tested in a mechanical finger prototype with three degrees of freedom and one actuator, driven by arm muscles EMG of normal volunteers. Real-time indirect estimation of prehension force was assessed by measuring the DC servo motor actuator current. A model of the plant comprising finger, motor, and grasped object was proposed. Model parameters were identified experimentally and a classical feedback phase-lead compensator was designed. The controlled mechanical finger was able to provide a more accurate prehension force modulation of a compliant object when compared to open-loop control.
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