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Myoelectric Prostheses: By: Courtney Medeiros BME 281 10/26/11

Myoelectric prostheses use electromyography (EMG) signals from voluntarily contracted muscles in the residual limb to control movements of the prosthesis such as elbow flexion/extension and wrist/finger movements. They were first developed in the 1920s and have advanced significantly since then. They are commonly used for amputations and are an alternative to hook prostheses. To be eligible, a person must have sufficient EMG voltage and muscle control. Myoelectric prostheses are more advanced than body-powered prostheses but also more expensive and may not last as long with heavy use. Future developments aim to improve motion smoothness, durability, and cost.

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Nitish Sehgal
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81 views

Myoelectric Prostheses: By: Courtney Medeiros BME 281 10/26/11

Myoelectric prostheses use electromyography (EMG) signals from voluntarily contracted muscles in the residual limb to control movements of the prosthesis such as elbow flexion/extension and wrist/finger movements. They were first developed in the 1920s and have advanced significantly since then. They are commonly used for amputations and are an alternative to hook prostheses. To be eligible, a person must have sufficient EMG voltage and muscle control. Myoelectric prostheses are more advanced than body-powered prostheses but also more expensive and may not last as long with heavy use. Future developments aim to improve motion smoothness, durability, and cost.

Uploaded by

Nitish Sehgal
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Myoelectric Prostheses

By: Courtney Medeiros


BME 281
10/26/11
What are Myoelectric
Prostheses?
• Uses electromyography
signals/ electric potentials from
voluntarily contracted muscles
within a person’s residual limb
to control movements of the
prosthesis.

• Electromyography (EMG):
process of detecting electric
potentials and translating them
into motions.

• Movements include:
• Elbow flexion/extension
• Wrist supination/pronation
• Opening/closing of fingers
History of Myoelectric
Prostheses
• The typical alternative to myoelectric prostheses are hook
prostheses (which began in the middle ages with pirates), body-
powered prostheses, and cosmetic prostheses

• 1920’s: Ferdinand Sauerburch & Aurel Stodola in Zürich,


Switzerland: created a hand prosthesis controlled and powered
by muscles of residual limb

• WWII (1945): America & the rest of the world started


mobilizing for research and development

• 1949: Alderson: external power source to develop first electrically


powered arm
• 1958: Russians: first myoelectric arm
• 1980’s-Present: Many developments and advancements
Who is Eligible?

• Used for congenital limb deficiencies and


amputations from cancer, trauma, or surgery.

• Must have EMG voltage of at least 15μV, the scar


must be able to hold the weight of the arm, and must
pass motor/control test
How it Works
More Device Information

• Weight:
• Can weigh as little as ¼ the weight of an average
human arm
• For children it can be made to weigh as little as a ½
pound

• Has a rechargeable battery

• Proprioceptive feedback
Maintenance

• Can get first myoelectric prosthesis


between 16 to 24 months of age
• When used on a child, the sockets need
to be replaced every year due to growth
• Typically come with one-year warranty
• Motor and drive last about two to three
years
• With heavy use, the entire prosthesis
may need to be replaced after only five
years
Advantages & Disadvantages
• Advantages
• Greater range of
movement
• Less bulky compared
to a body powered
prosthesis
• Disadvantages
• Expensive!
• Not suitable to people
involved with heavy
work loads
• Don’t last that long
Future

• Smoother motions
• Cheaper
• Eventually make lower limb myoelectric protheses
• Make them more durable to last longer and make them
available to people who have heavy work loads
Questions?
Sources
• Meier, R.H. (2004). Functional restoration of adults and children
with upper extremity amputation. New York, NY: Demos Medical
Publishing Inc.
• http://www.aetna.com/cpb/medical/data/300_399/0399.htm
l
• http://www.ballert-op.com/myoelectric_control.asp
• http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10989484
• http://medtraining.northwestern.edu/repoc/research/projects
/upperlimb/uplimb_imes.html
• http://www.scribd.com/doc/18651364/Myoelectric-Arm
• De Luca, C.J. (1979, June). Physiology and mathematics of
myoelectric signals. IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering,
26(6), 313-325.

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