Proportional EMG control for upper-limb powered exoskeletons

Electromyography (EMG) has been frequently proposed as the driving signal for controlling powered exoskeletons. Lot of effort has been spent to design accurate algorithms for muscular torque estimation, while very few studies attempted to understand to what extent an accurate torque estimate is indeed necessary to provide effective movement assistance through powered exoskeletons. In this study, we focus on the latter aspect by using a simple and “low-accuracy” torque estimate, an EMG-proportional control, to provide assistance through an elbow exoskeleton. Preliminary results show that subjects adapt almost instantaneously to the assistance provided by the exoskeleton and can reduce their effort while keeping full control of the movement.