A comparative study of virtual hand prosthesis control using an inductive tongue control system

• Published in: Assistive technology Vol. 28; no. 1; pp. 22 - 29
• Main Authors: Johansen, Daniel, Sebelius, Fredrik, Jensen, Stig, Bentsen, Bo, Popović, Dejan B., Andreasen Struijk, Lotte N. S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Taylor & Francis 02.01.2016
• Subjects: Adult; Artificial Limbs; Biomedical Laboratory Science/Technology; Biomedicinsk laboratorievetenskap/teknologi; Cross-Over Studies; Electromyography - instrumentation; Electromyography - methods; Female; Hand - physiology; Hand Strength; Health technology assessment; Humans; Male; Medical and Health Sciences; Medical Biotechnology; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Medicinsk bioteknologi; Myoelectric control; Prosthesis control schemes; Prosthesis Design; Self-Help Devices; Software; Tongue - physiology; Upper limb prosthetics; prosthesis control schemes; upper limb prosthetics; myoelectric control
• ISSN: 1040-0435; 1949-3614
• DOI: 10.1080/10400435.2015.1070303

This study compares the time required to activate a grasp or function of a hand prosthesis when using an electromyogram (EMG) based control scheme and when using a control scheme combining EMG and control signals from an inductive tongue control system (ITCS). Using a cross-over study design, 10 able-bodied subjects used a computer model of a hand and completed simulated grasping exercises. The time required to activate grasps was recorded and analyzed for both control schemes. End session mean activation times (ATs; seconds) for the EMG control scheme grasps 1 -5 were 0.80, 1.51, 1.95, 2.93, and 3.42; for the ITCS control scheme grasps 1 ‒5 they were 1.19, 1.89, 1.75, 2.26, and 1.80. Mean AT for grasps 1 and 2 was statistically significant in favor of the EMG control scheme (p = 0.030; p = 0.004). For grasp 3 no statistical significance occurred, and for grasps 4 and 5 there was a statistical significance in favour of the ITCS control scheme (p = 0.048; p = 0.004). Based on the amount of training and the achieved level of performance, it is concluded that the proposed ITCS control scheme can be used as a means of enhancing prosthesis control.