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Design and Implementation of Prosthetic Arm using Gear Motor Control

Technique with Appropriate Testing

Article · November 2011

Source: arXiv

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 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF COMPUTER APPLICATIONS IN
ENGINEERING, TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCES (IJ-CA-ETS)

DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF PROSTHETIC ARM

USING GEAR MOTOR CONTROL TECHNIQUE WITH
APPROPRIATE TESTING
1
BISWARUP NEOGI, 2 SOUMYAJIT MUKHERJEE, 3 SOUMYA GHOSAL,
4
DR. ACHINTYA DAS, 5 D.N.TIBAREWALA.
3
Sr. Lecturer, Electronics & Communication Department, Durgapur Institute of
Advanced Technology & Management, Durgapur
2
CSE Department, Saroj Mohan Institute of Technology, West Bengal, India.
1
IT Department, RCC Institute of Information Technology, Kolkata, India.
4
Professor & HOD, Electronics & Communication Department, Kalyani Government
Engineering College.
5
Director, School of Bio Science & Engineering, Jadavpur University, Kolkata,W.B,
India.

[email protected], [email protected],
[email protected],[email protected],[email protected]

ABSTRACT :
Any part of the human body replication procedure commences the prosthetic control science. This paper
highlights the hardware design technique of a prosthetic arm with implementation of gear motor control aspect.
The prosthetic control arm movement has been demonstrated in this paper applying processor programming
and with the successful testing of the designed prosthetic model. The architectural design of the prosthetic arm
here has been replaced by lighter material instead of heavy metal, as well as the traditional EMG (electro
myographic) signal has been replaced by the muscle strain.

Keywords: Prosthetic arm, PIC, EMG Signal, Muscle strain.

1. INTRODUCTION stretching. This was followed by employing a

The earlier research works developed so far on the metallic human hand type arm aiming to implement
prosthetic limb failed to consider the cost automation technique. A successful implementation
effectiveness of the product. Also those designs were of the project relating the control of prosthetic arm
uncongenial for movement due to the use of heavier through microcontroller programming would be of
metal in constructing the arm instead of lighter ones. much help to the mankind who lost their arms.
The man machine interface process is easier to 2. TECHNOLOGY SURVEY BEHIND
theorize but its practical implementation tends to be PROSTHETIC ARM
much tougher. This work, directly related to the The main technical concept, behind this starts from
handicapped patients makes it a potential aid for the taking the signal from the movement of our limb and
society. In essence, this device makes the prosthetic with the help of microcontroller program of the
limb to mimic a real limb, restoring the associated signal; we are able to create the movement of the
functionalities and efficacies of natural arm artificial arm. New technique that capitalizes on the
movement [3][6]. We succeeded in devising a movement of remaining nerves allows amputees to
prosthetic arm which can be easily controlled by intuitively control their prosthetic limb, providing
human limb, and used a PIC microcontroller system them with a much better level of control than
to control the prosthetic arm associated with a sensor traditional prosthetics. The rerouted nerves growing
to get information from human limb. This input in the muscle, amplified the messages once sent to
signal can easily be controlled by the muscle muscles in the arm.
movement activating the action of either griping or

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Figure. 1A. Block Diagram of EMG

Controlled Arm appropriate processing of EMG signals, interpreted
These signals are read by sensors on the prosthetic by the pattern recognization technique. The
limb and translated into movement. It is highly microcontroller is capable to accept the digitized
encouraging to observe that even after an form of EMG command of arm movement. The
amputation; the same intention to move the limb can processor produces the movement of motor with the
be harnessed to control a prosthetic limb in much the formal action of human muscle. The movement of the
same way as the limb was previously controlled.
contr motor controls the gear for high torque generation at
Most artificial arms, controlled by remaining muscles the same time maintains the linearity
lineari for prosthetic
near the amputated limb but the devices can be arm movement. Fig. 1B represents the schematic
frustrating and slow. representation of the system [4].
3. LIMITATION OF MYOELECTRIC SIGNAL
SENSING AND INTERPRETATION
The myoelectric signal is generated by the brain to
activate the muscles of human body. In fact the
nature of eletro-myograpic (EMG) signal is very
much like to that of a wide Gaussian noise. It is very
difficult to sense and interpret the myoelectric from
muscle. However many scientists worked in this field
and generated EMG controlled artificial
artifi arm. Among
them the significant EMG signal controlled prosthetic
arm was generated by Eugene J. Moore, Robert M.
De Marco, Richard A. Foulds and Tara L. Alvarez in
Department of Biomedical Engineering, New Jersey
Institute of Technology, Newark, New JerseyJ [5]. In
this context it may be mentioned that EMG
controlled arm is an intelligent arm which therefore
can be controlled by the incoming brain message
Figure. 1B Schematics Diagram of Block property. However this type of control includes high
Prosthesis expenses due to the construction of adjoining sensor
and amplifier. Mention may also be made to the fact,
frustrating and slow. The user must consciously in tropical country like India due to excess secretion
contract those muscles to trigger a movement, perspiration through the pours of skin gives rise to
resulting single movement performed at a time. More extra noisy bio-potential
potential creating problem to the
intuitive method can be initiated for controlling EMG signal sensor. That is why this type ty of EMG
prosthetics that capitalize on remaining nerves, which signal controlled artificial arm is not suitable for our
still carry neural signals meant for the lost limb. Fig. country. Owing to all these reasons stated above we
1A represents the basic block diagram of prosthetic intend to develop a different type of controlled arm
arm. The biosensor is a special type of sensor which which is acting with the muscle pressure. This type of
captures the EMG signal from a particular muscle of design is activated by the pressure
ressure developed in the
human body. Generally the EMG signal is in micro-micr muscle which will stay unaffected by the formation
volt white noise signal which can be amplified of the sweat on the skin. In this System the two tact
through a perfect high CMRR amplifier. The switches are used as a sensor which are
amplifier output is converted by ADC with comparatively much cheaper. The tact switches

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produce the signal which is in digitized form, so we Figure 3B. The EMG Signal Pattern of S1, S2,
do not use the ADC keeping the price even low. S3and S4 Position in with Stress condition of arm
Clinically we have recorded the EMG signals of four
different positions of the arm muscle S1,S2,S3,S4 After applying the strain in the muscle with the wrist
represented in Fig.2) for stress condition vide Fig. activity of arm the EMG signals recorded are
3B and without stress condition vide figfi 3A. The represented in Fig 3B. From 30029 time range of data
EMG signals are recorded for without strain we are representing only the data from 10 to 12 time
condition of arm represents in Fig. 3A units. Here it is to be remembered that the voltage of
EMG signals are in micro volt range. FromFr Fig. 2A
S1 S1 it is seen that the recorded EMG signal without
stressed condition is quite appreciable at the position
S4 S3 A where as the in the Fig. 3B S1 the corresponding
position A’ the signal is quite inappreciable. Also in
the stressed condition the mean value of the potential
S2 at position B’ is almost zero whereas the
corresponding position B (without stressed condition)
is quite. Moreover, in Fig. 2A S3 the position C
represents the higher potential than the position C’ in
Fig 3B S3. In comparison with the t previously
discussed figures (Fig. 3A S1 and Fig. 3B S1, Fig.
g2. The Position of EMG Signal Sensors
Fig2. 3A S2 and Fig. 3B S2, Fig. 3A S3 and Fig. 3B S3 ),
the Fig. 3A S4 and 3B S4 show different
characteristics, i.e. both the D (Fig. 3A S1) and the
D’ (Fig. 3B S2) do not exhibit any differences.
difference
B These signals are very difficult to interpret; that is
why we are deserting aside these type of EMG
A signals and opting to myo-control
control to muscle pressure
[4][8].

D
C

Figure 3A. The EMG Signal Pattern of S1, S2, S3

and S4 Position in without Stress condition of arm

A’
B’
Fig.4: Circuit Block Diagram

4. BLOCK DIAGRAM REPRESENTATION OF

THE DEVICE
rototype is produced by Sensor switch
The present prototype
applying the fundamental movement of arm. The
signal is sensed by the sensor which is processed by
D’ the microcontroller block [2]. Then the signal is
C’
passed from microcontroller to the interfacing device.
The interfacingg device is used for bridging up
microcontroller with the motor. The motor control
and gear system operates the prosthetic arm.
arm

5. THE CONTROLLING CIRCUIT DIAGRAM

REPRESENTATION OF THE DEVICE

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From the sensor we can detect the signal for arm The formerly described scheme has successfully been
grasping and stretching.
tretching. The sensor which has been implemented by hardware. The main body of the arm
used is piezo-electric
electric pressure sensor. In the consists of hard wood which is cheaper in price and
preliminary stage, we are using the soft tact switch lighter in weight than metallic arm. This mechanical
for prototype presentation. architecture
tecture of the arm is like the traditional Otto-
Otto
The pin2 (RA3), pin3 (RA4) of PIC (16F8FA) catch Bock arm.
the signal from the sensor in a digitized form. With
the farm-wire
wire programming of micro-controller,
micro we
tried to generate a delay for the output port RB0 (pin-
(pin
6), RB1 (pin-7).
7). In RB0, RB1 the logic 1and 0 is
generating for a fixed time with the help of PIC
programming. The output of PIC is introduced to
L293D, which interfaces the motor controller device.
In case of L293D the input pin1 (pin-2)
(pin and pin2
(pin-7)
7) received the logic signal in 0 and 1 form a
range of values 0.8 V to 6V. The output
outpu of the L293D
pin1 (pin-3) and pin2 (pin-6) 6) controls the motor for
generating arm movement. We are using a DC motor
(6V) to develop this design. The motor has a gear
facility to obtain the minimum output torque. The
controlling arm movement is tractable by b the gearing Figure 7A: The Mechanical Body of Prosthetic
action of motor [7][9]. Arm in Closed Condition

Fig 5: Circuit Diagram of motor control unit of

prosthetic arm
6. FLOW CHART OF FARM
FARM-WARE
PROGRAMMING
Figure 7B: The Mechanical Body of Prosthetic
Arm in Open Condition

Figure 8: The Prototype Prosthetic Arm with

Controlling Accessory and Tact Switch Sensor
Circuit
The Fig. 7A and 7B represent the states of the arm in
Fig.6.FlowChart closed gripping condition and open gripping
7. MODELING OF THE DESIGNED condition respectively. The movement of the
PROSTHETIC ARM CONTROL DEVICE prosthetic arm is being
ng controlled by a low power

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gear motor which produces high torque enhancing the considered later
ter on. As the prosthetic control is an
power of griping. The adjoining Fig 8 represents a emerging phenomenon in today’s world, thus this
whole assembly of the prosthetic arm consisting of project work will definitely embrace an important
mechanical wooden body of artificial arm, control role in case of handicapped people. Further
circuit, power supply and
nd the sensor switches. developments related to the design and functional
func
accuracies will be the aim for future researchers
working in this field.
9. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The authors acknowledge Dr. P.K Lenka, Professor
R&D Lab of NIOH and Mr. A.N. Bishayee Prosthetic
Lab, NIOH, Kolkata for their support in recording of
EMG signal
gnal of patient. The authors owe very much
to the R&D Lab of NIOH for lending the facilities of
recording through the EMG recorder. We are grateful
to acknowledge Dr. S.K. Ray, Professor of ECE
Department, Durgapur Institute of Advanced
Technology & Management ment for his encouragement
throughout the project work.
10. REFERENCE
[1] Dr.Achintya Das & Biswarup Neogi “Prosthetic
Figure 9: The Successful Testing of the Prototype Control System of Limb using Artificial
Prosthetic Arm with Tact Switch Sensor for Open Intelligence(AI)” International Conference on
Condition. Systemics, Cybernetics and Informatics ICSCI-2007,
ICSCI
pp. 243-247.
[2] Achintya Das, Phd Awarded work on “On
Electronics Control of Arterial Pressure of Living
Body Employing Bio Feedback Technique”(pp. 103)
[3] The Times of India, Kolkata (pp.13) Wednesday,
September 20, 2006.
[4] Biswarup Neogi, Patrali Pradhan & Dr.Dr Achintya
Das , National Conference on Recent Trends in
Electronics & Communication.(NCRTEC-2008)
Communication.(NCRTEC
Mioelectric Signal Detection and Amplification to
Develop the Prosthetic Control Model”
Model Vol-1of 2,
p.p.244-248.
[5] Careers Eugene J. Moore, Robert M. De Marco,
Ma
Richard A. Foulds, Tara L. “TheThe Implementation of
an EMG Controlled Robotic Arm to Motivate Pre- Pre
College Students to Pursue Biomedical Engineering
Figure 10: The Successful Testing of the Prototype Careers.” Pre-College Alvarez Proceedings of 25th
Prosthetic Arm with Tact Switch Sensor for Annual International Conference of the IEEE EMBS
Closed Condition. Cancun, Mexico September 17--21. 2003.
[6] Dudley S. Childress Historical Aspects of
The efficacy of this device was successfully Powered Limb Prostheses by Dudley S. Childress,
authenticated by tying it on a patient hand both in Ph.D. Clinical Prosthetics & Orthotics , 1985, Vol 9,
closed gripping condition and open gripping No.1 , pp. 2 – 13.
condition. The incorporated tact switch sensed the [7] Dr. Steve C. Hsiung, “The Use of PIC
muscule power and along with the controlling
controll power Microcontrollers in Multiple DC Motors Control
of the motor, activates the gripping action of the Applications”, Journal of Industrial Technology,
device represented in Fig. 9 and Fig. 10 [1]. Volume 23, Number 3, July 2007 through September
2007. pp. 1-9.
[8] http://www.emgsrus.com/software_emg_graphin
8. CONCLUSION
g.html- EMG GRAPHING.
This work is based on total hardware implementation
of a prosthetic arm model. The transfer function [9] http://www.alldatasheet.com/datasheet-
http://www.alldatasheet.com/
generation and controllability testing are to be pdf/pdf/112910/TI/L293D.html
pdf/pdf/112910/TI/L293D.html.

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