Real-time muscle driven electric artificial muscles

Abstract

This project tries to solve the problem of portable, low-power surface EMG data acquisition and demonstrates a simple application of the data retrieved by the designed system. EMG signal's importance is continuously increasing and is finding its way into many everyday applications including clinical applications, human-computer interfaces and assistive technology devices. In an executive summary, the Assistive Technology Act Programs (ATAP) states that millions of people in the United States alone report that they make use of, or state that they will benefit from assistive technology devices [1]. There may be various different methods of controlling an artificial muscle and methods of operating it. The current trend in data acquisition and processing for such systems uses non-invasive Electromyogram systems, or surface EMG. The proposed system uses Silver/Silver Chloride electrodes connected to the belly of the skeletal muscle under test. The signal from the electrodes is amplified through an instrumentation amplifier and then filtered to remove the noise. The output of the filter is then converted into digital for processing and a signal representing the estimate of the force being exerted by the skeletal muscle is generated. This data is then used to generate a linear force using a dc gear motor, replicating the force being generated by the skeletal muscle under test.