Muscle-Prosthesis Interfaces

Spadia Engineering develops low cost myoelectric prostheses to help physically challenged individuals to really adapt to their environment.

Description and Motivation

Prostheses are artificial devices used to replace a missing part of the body; for example, hands, eyes, or teeth.
Nowadays prostheses and health gadgets in the third world and developing countries are virtually inaccessible. Over priced products and long wait periods are some of the problems that each patient has to face in order to receive the aid they need.

Solution

Spadia Engineering has developed an algorithm to detect muscle activity through the analysis of electromiographic signals. This algorithm is capable of running in low cost microcontrollers and adapts to each particular patient and muscle.
Together with additive manufacturing, such as 3D-printing, we develop low cost myoelectric prostheses that can be delivered to the patient in just a week.

How does it work?

The electrical potential generated by muscle cells is registered using non-invasive electrodes placed on the skin surface. The acquired signal is processed in a microcontroller and is classified by a series of intelligent inference systems in order to determine the state of the muscle that is being analyzed. These classifiers will determine whether the patient wants to open or close the prosthetic hand.