This paper describes a single degree-of-freedom active-knee transfemoral prosthesis to be used as a test bed for the development of architectures for myoelectric control. The development of an active-knee transfemoral prosthesis is motivated by the inability of passive commercial prostheses to provide the joint power required at the knee for many activities of daily living such as reciprocal stair ascent, which requires knee power outputs of up to 4 W/kg. Study of myoelectric control based on surface electromyogram (EMG) measurements of muscles in the residual limb is motivated by the desire to restore direct volitional control of the knee using a minimally-invasive neuromuscular control interface. The presented work describes the design of a transfemoral prosthesis prototype including the structure, actuation, instrumentation, electronics, and real-time control architecture. The performance characteristics of the prototype are discussed in the context of the requisite knee energetics for a variety of common locomotive functions. This paper additionally describes the development of a single-subject diagnostic socket with wall-embedded surface EMG electrodes and the implementation of a control architecture for myoelectric modulation of knee impedance. Experimental results of level walking for a single subject with unilateral transfemoral amputation demonstrate the potential for direct EMG-based control of locomotive function.
Skip Nav Destination
e-mail: kfite@clarkson.edu
Article navigation
March 2012
Research Papers
The Design and Initial Experimental Validation of an Active Myoelectric Transfemoral Prosthesis
Kevin B. Fite
Kevin B. Fite
Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering,
e-mail: kfite@clarkson.edu
Clarkson University
, Potsdam, NY 13699
Search for other works by this author on:
Carl D. Hoover
George D. Fulk
Kevin B. Fite
Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering,
Clarkson University
, Potsdam, NY 13699e-mail: kfite@clarkson.edu
J. Med. Devices. Mar 2012, 6(1): 011005 (12 pages)
Published Online: March 13, 2012
Article history
Received:
May 23, 2011
Revised:
December 20, 2011
Published:
March 12, 2012
Online:
March 13, 2012
Citation
Hoover, C. D., Fulk, G. D., and Fite, K. B. (March 13, 2012). "The Design and Initial Experimental Validation of an Active Myoelectric Transfemoral Prosthesis." ASME. J. Med. Devices. March 2012; 6(1): 011005. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4005784
Download citation file:
Get Email Alerts
Preliminary Assessment of a Laparoscopic Training System Using Magneto-Rheological Clutches and Virtual Reality
J. Med. Devices (September 2023)
Development and Mechanical Testing of Implant for Cranial Reconstruction After Burr Hole Trepanation
J. Med. Devices (September 2023)
A Novel Quasilinear Viscoelastic Model of the Bending of a Steerable Catheter
J. Med. Devices (September 2023)
Related Articles
Toward the Development of Knee Prostheses: Review of Current Active Devices
Appl. Mech. Rev (May,2019)
Intelligent Motor Powered Prosthetic Knee Joint
J. Med. Devices (June,2011)
Design of an Endoreactor for the Cultivation of a Joint-Like-Structure
J. Med. Devices (June,2009)
Related Proceedings Papers
Related Chapters
Stairs: A Novel Multivariate Optimization Method Based on a Univariate Approach
International Conference on Computer and Computer Intelligence (ICCCI 2011)
A Review for Feature Extraction of EMG Signal Processing
International Conference on Computer and Automation Engineering, 4th (ICCAE 2012)
Classification of Electromyogram Signal for Control of Robotic Gripper
International Conference on Computer Engineering and Technology, 3rd (ICCET 2011)