Abstract
The objective of this study is to design a meal assistance system operated by electromyogram (EMG) signals. The system consists of four parts, EMG data acquisition, onset analysis, control circuit and operation of meal assistance robot. An algorithm based on EMG power with adaptive threshold is proposed for onset analysis, and applied to the operation of robot via control circuit. The performance of EMG-control system is tested in rate of success and comfort by both subjective and objective indices. The results show EMG signals acquired from active muscles in a human body can be used as control signals for the apparatus, by the proposed onset detection algorithm with adaptive threshold. The high rate of success and comfort of meal assistance system operated by EMG signals guarantee its use for patients with disabled upper limbs.
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Recommended by Editorial Board member Duk-Sun Shim under the direction of Editor Young-Hoon Joo. This work is supported by National Nature Science Foundation of China 60543005, 60674089; and Shanghai Leading Academic Discipline Project, B504.
Xiu Zhang received her B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering from University of Shanghai for Science and Technology in 2005, and now is a Ph.D. candidate in Pattern Recognition and Intelligent System at East China University of Science and Technology. Her research interests include neuro-physiological signal processing and control.
Xingyu Wang received his Ph.D. degree in Engineering from East China University of Science and Technology in 1984 and is presently a Professor at East China University of Science and Technology. He has worked on control theory and its application, especially biomedical engineering.
Bei Wang received her Ph.D. degree in Engineering from Saga University in 2009. She is also an assistant researcher at East China University of Science and Technology from 2003. She has worked on biomedical signal analysis and application.
Takenao Sugi received his Ph.D. degree in Engineering from Saga University in 1999 and is presently an Associated Professor at Saga University. He has worked on automatic EEG interpretation and Brain Motor function analysis.
Masatoshi Nakamura received his Ph.D. degree in Engineering from Kyushu University in 1974 and was a Professor at Saga University. He has worked on control theory and its application in biomedical engineering, robotics and power system control.
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Zhang, X., Wang, X., Wang, B. et al. Meal assistance system operated by electromyogram (EMG) signals: Movement onset detection with adaptive threshold. Int. J. Control Autom. Syst. 8, 392–397 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12555-010-0226-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12555-010-0226-4