Analysis and design of an in-house low cost dry EMG sensor for bionic transradial prosthesis

Abstract

Bionic transradial prosthetic devices have emerged as a solution for amputees who have lost an upper limb as a consequence of a trauma or disease. Bionic prostheses aim to offer a more natural control to the user due to the use of EMG sensors that offer information of users’ muscle intentions which are then translated to actuators outputs that control the artificial device. Up to day, several EMG sensors can be found for commercial use; however, most of them are expensive and cannot be found without a prescription. The following paper presents the analysis involved in the design of a low cost dry EMG sensor and information of the tests performed for its compliance with Surface ElectroMyoGraphy for the Non-Invasive Assessment of Muscles standards. The following paper aims to provide information for users who might want to replicate the designed EMG sensors for research purposes.