Comparison of electromyography and force as interfaces for prosthetic control

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Rehabilitation Engineering
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Effective control of powered upper-limb prostheses relies on user command interfaces.
• Electromyography (EMG) is a common but indirect method for controlling prosthetic devices.
• Understanding human operator capabilities with different control interfaces is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the efficacy of electromyography (EMG) control versus force control for powered upper-limb prostheses.
• To investigate the effects of gain and tracking frequency on EMG control performance.
• To determine the limits of EMG control for prosthetic applications.

Main Methods:

• A position-tracking task was performed using both EMG and force control interfaces.
• Direct wrist position control served as a benchmark for human operator capabilities.
• The influence of varying gain and tracking frequencies on EMG control was systematically examined.

Main Results:

• EMG control demonstrated comparable effectiveness to force control in the position-tracking task.
• Optimal information transmission rates for myoelectric control were observed at higher tracking frequencies.
• Performance at higher frequencies exceeded previously reported rates for position control.

Conclusions:

• EMG control interfaces are effective for powered upper-limb prostheses, matching force control in position-tracking tasks.
• Higher tracking frequencies enhance the performance of myoelectric control systems.
• Findings provide valuable insights for designing advanced prostheses and their controllers.