Low-cost upper limb prosthesis, based on opensource projects with voice-myoelectric hybrid control

This work details a proposed low-cost upper limb prosthesis. This prosthesis gets relevant due to the great number of people lacking an upper limb, typically derived from amputations or birth malformations, as well as the inherent high cost of acquisition of a functional prosthesis. Our proposal contemplates the use of open source projects, in virtue of the fact that using these projects may speed up the development time, decrease time and cost implementation, where at the same time an updated and constant world-wide community support is observed. This implementation proposes an hybrid control system in which the user will be able to activate the prosthesis mechanisms of flexion and extension through an electromyographic register or through voice commands. The hybrid control system yields the user the possibility of carrying out fine motor skills with visual feedback or quick movements at will, and likewise offers an alternative when the properties of the electrode-skin interface present a decay of a conventional myolectric prosthesis.