Intelligent analysis of EMG data for improving lifestyle

Stud Health Technol Inform. 2005:117:229-34.

Abstract

In the tragic situation when a person loses his or her hand, they are usually faced with only one option if they wish to regain a good level of mobility; learn to control an artificial hand. It has been suggested that our brain stores a "body map" of the different parts in our body. Thus, if a person loses a hand, their "body map" remains intact and produces phantom sensations that permit the person to feel like they still have their hand. Some discomfort is felt during these sensations; nevertheless, there is a positive side to them as they enable patients to control prosthetic replacements. Sensations experienced can be measured using a method known as Electromyography (EMG) and can be acquired and processed to control an artificial hand. This research involved the acquisition, analysis and classification of EMG signals through construction of a recording device and the development of classification models based on heuristic approaches and Artificial Intelligence classifiers based on Neural Networks to control artificial hands.

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms
  • Artificial Intelligence*
  • Artificial Limbs*
  • Biomedical Engineering / instrumentation
  • Electromyography*
  • Hand*
  • Humans
  • Quality of Life*
  • Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted / instrumentation
  • User-Computer Interface