User experience of controlling the DEKA Arm with EMG pattern recognition.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Rehabilitation Engineering
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Electromyography Pattern Recognition (EMG-PR) offers advanced control for multi-degree of freedom (DOF) prosthetic arms.
• The DEKA Arm represents a sophisticated upper-limb prosthesis requiring intuitive control interfaces.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and describe the user experience of controlling the DEKA Arm using an adapted EMG-PR system.
• To identify key factors influencing user perception and performance with this prosthetic control technology.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative case series design was employed with 12 participants with upper limb amputations.
• Participants underwent in-laboratory training followed by up to 12 weeks of home use.
• Data were collected via open-ended surveys and semi-structured interviews, analyzed using a constant comparative approach.

Main Results:

• Users reported mixed perspectives on the EMG-PR controlled DEKA Arm, citing system complexity and calibration challenges.
• Key influencing factors included training, fatigue, prosthesis design, technical issues, and environmental context.
• A majority preferred their existing prosthesis controls over the studied EMG-PR iteration.

Conclusions:

• While users preferred their personal prosthesis controls, they acknowledged the future potential of EMG-PR.
• Understanding user experience is crucial for clinicians and patients in selecting prosthetic options.
• Further development is needed to optimize EMG-PR systems for enhanced usability and user satisfaction.