Finger angle estimation using musculoskeletal model on thumb and index finger

Abstract

Prostatic hand control system usually controls finger using pattern recognition from surface ElectroMyoGraphy (EMG) signal from the forearm, as most of the finger muscles are located in the forearm with small tendon connected to the skeletal system. However, pattern recognition is not the same method as muscles control the hand and finger, this lead to a limitation in postal and long-time training is required for each subject. All finger provide benefit to daily life but 50 percent of all hand functions are made possible by the thumb and index finger. Therefore, due to the complexity of forearm muscles, this research will limit on thumb and index finger. The method proposed using sEMG from muscles and simple movement of flexion and extension to estimate equilibrium position and stiffness with one degree of freedom (DOF) for each finger call musculoskeletal model. Our research interesting in using the same principle of the musculoskeletal model to estimate equilibrium position and stiffness of thumb and index finger separately by measure position in 3-dimensional space. The result will be confirmed by measure position, force and EMG of the subject simultaneously.