Design and Development of a Low-Cost EMG-Controlled Prosthetic Hand

This study focuses on the design, development, and enhancement of a cost-effective myoelectric prosthetic arm intended for daily functional use. The initial prototype was fabricated using Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) 3D printing technology with acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) as the base material. This approach enabled the creation of a lightweight, portable prosthetic arm with a human-like appearance and six degrees of freedom, allowing for the execution of essential daily activities. The actuation mechanism is based on an artificial tendon-driven system inspired by prior works such as the Vanderbilt Hand and the prosthetic hand developed at Hitit University. The tendon-driven structure allows for coordinated finger movement while preserving mechanical simplicity. Actuation is achieved using standard servo motors, controlled by surface electromyography (sEMG) signals acquired from the user’s forearm muscles. The initial version of the device was constructed with a material cost of approximately 250, achieving a grip force of around 3N per finger and a complete actuation cycle time of approximately 0.4 s. Despite demonstrating satisfactory functional performance, early user evaluations revealed challenges related to control intuitiveness and system integration, as reflected in user feedback surveys. To address these limitations and enhance usability, several technological upgrades were implemented. The original microcontroller was replaced with an Arduino Mega, and an ESP8266-07 Wi-Fi module was integrated to enable wireless communication. These enhancements significantly improved data transmission, real-time signal processing, and remote monitoring capabilities.