Electromyography-Based Control of Lower Limb Prostheses: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Most amputations occur in lower limbs and despite improvements in prosthetic technology, no commercially available prosthetic leg uses electromyography (EMG) information as an input for control. Efforts to integrate EMG signals as part of the control strategy have increased in the last decade. In this systematic review, we summarize the research in the field of lower limb prosthetic control using EMG. Four different online databases were searched until June 2022: Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and Science Direct. We included articles that reported systems for controlling a prosthetic leg (with an ankle and/or knee actuator) by decoding gait intent using EMG signals alone or in combination with other sensors. A total of 1,331 papers were initially assessed and 121 were finally included in this systematic review. The literature showed that despite the burgeoning interest in research, controlling a leg prosthesis using EMG signals remains challenging. Specifically, regarding EMG signal quality and stability, electrode placement, prosthetic hardware, and control algorithms, all of which need to be more robust for everyday use. In the studies that were investigated, large variations were found between the control methodologies, type of research participant, recording protocols, assessments, and prosthetic hardware.

Low-Cost, Wireless Bioelectric Signal Acquisition and Classification Platform

“…Second, wireless communication allows for a broader range of data collection scenarios, notably walking. This opens the door for researchers interested in fields such as gait rehabilitation for stroke [23] and gait prediction for prosthetic legs [24]. Despite the advantages of the added wireless communication, it is not without its drawbacks.…”

Biomechanical effects of adding an articulating toe joint to a passive foot prosthesis for incline and decline walking

“…Device interventions that aim to improve the ability of LLPUs to walk on sloped surfaces have often focused on adapting the behavior of the prosthetic ankle joint. Passive, hydraulic, microprocessor, and fully powered devices have all been investigated to determine if they can improve the ability of users to walk on slopes [10,[12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20]. Some studies have found a benefit in their approach to modulating ankle behavior to improve incline and decline walking, but most have reported mixed or conflicting results.…”