Echo: Myoelectric Prosthetic for Handwriting

Objective

Develop a wearable prosthetic aimed at assisting hand amputees in writing as controlled by EMG signals.

User Needs	Engineering Requirements
N1. Device should save the user time compaired to writing with non-dominant hand. N2. Device should save mental effort/strain during writing. N3. Device should be comfortable for long term use. N4. Device should allow for indepent use. N5. Device should have a long battery-life. N6. Device should be cost effective compaired to competitors.	R1. Should accommodate right or left handed dominant users. R2. Must ensure comfort for long periods of time. R3. Can pick up and maintain a strong grip on a writing utensil without slippage. R4. Should enable users to write with their amputated dominant hand. R5. Should be easy to adjust, remove, and put on the device. R6. Should be compact for convenient storage and travel.

Result

Designed and built a medium fidelity hand prosthetic which processes forearm EMG action potentials enabling the end-effector to pick up a pencil for handwriting. Employed signal processing techniques including filtering, amplification, rectification and integration. Created a comfortable, compact, 3D-printed housing for ambidextrous users using SolidWorks and conducted an FEA analysis to ensure functionality prior to fabrication.