Development of a 1-DOF Elbow Power Assisting System Based on Mechanomyogram Signals

This paper presents a 1-DOF (degree-of-freedom) power assisting system that can assist elbow flexion motion by using mechanomyogram (MMG) signals. An MMG transducer is attached to the skin of biceps brachii to monitor muscle actions when the arm is moving. To estimate elbow flexion joint torques, a Hill-type muscle model and a musculoskeletal model of the arm are used. The estimated joint torques are substituted into the admittance control system, and the elbow joint angle is calculated. Power assisting experiments are conducted, and the effectiveness of the power assist system is verified.