Design of Electromyogram based 3D Printed Prosthetic Lower Limb

Developing effective control systems for leg prostheses is a significant challenge, particularly for patients who have lost a limb below the knee. While mechatronics advancements have allowed for the development of prosthetic legs with multiple active degrees of freedom, regulating the position and force applied by each joint remains a challenge. In this project, we propose a 3D-printable, electromyogram (EMG)-based control system for a prosthetic leg that is designed for trans-femoral amputees. Our system uses surface electromyogram (sEMG) to extract muscle commands necessary for controlling the prosthetic limb, which features four active joints powered by electrical motors. Our prosthetic leg is designed to enable activities such as walking, sitting, and standing, with the ability to adjust the gait pattern as needed. A practical demonstration showed that the designed prosthetic leg allows trans-femoral amputees to control their prosthetic limbs effectively and improve their quality of life.