EMG controlled robotic elbow prosthesis as an inner skeleton power assist system

This paper presents an actuated artificial elbow prosthesis (robotic elbow prosthesis) for human forearm motion assist that integrates a human and a robot into one system and performs as a joint assistive device for the elderly or physically disabled persons. An example of implantable joint actuator with angular position sensor as an actuated artificial joint is proposed here. The proposed elbow prosthesis is supposed to be implanted inside of the human arm by elbow arthroplasty and acts as an inner skeleton power assist robot. We have designed and developed a prototype of implantable 2 DOF inner skeleton robot (i.e., robotic elbow prosthesis) to assist the elbow flexion-extension motion and forearm supination-pronation motion. The robotic prosthesis is controlled based on the activation patterns of the muscles electromyogram (EMG) signals by applying a fuzzy-neuro control method. The EMG controlled elbow prosthesis can be expected to be an artificial joint for the next generation. The effectiveness of the proposed system has been evaluated by experiment.