EMG based elbow joint powered exoskeleton for biceps brachii strength augmentation

Electromyography (EMG) signals can be used to integrate with machines and form one assistive system such as a powered exoskeleton. This paper focuses on the design and development of a low-cost elbow joint powered exoskeleton for human power augmentation, controlled by the EMG. Majority of the hardware has been designed and developed in-house, without using expensively available hardware. A theoretical investigation starting from late 1960s up to 2014 has been carried out. A comparison of actuators and control systems that are commonly used for exoskeletons has been carried out in order to decide on the most suitable hardware for the proposed project. Area of EMG was investigated in detail as this type of exoskeleton control is intuitively understandable for the user; also it gives advantage of immediate response of a system to the user´s intentions to perform actions. Prototype tests proved the potential of using EMG to control robotic devices, but also showed that because of the nature of this type of non-stationary signal (EMG), it is also a challenge to be processed.