Design and Testing of an Emg-Controlled Semi-Active Knee Prosthesis

Abstract

Affordable, sensor-driven lower-limb prostheses remain scarce in middle-income health systems. We report the design, numerical justification, and bench validation of a semi-active transfemoral prosthesis featuring surface electromyography (EMG) control and inertial sensing for low-resource deployment. The mechanical architecture combines a titanium–aluminum–carbon composite frame (total mass 0.87 kg; parts cost < USD 400) with topology optimization (SIMP) to minimize weight while preserving stiffness. Finite-element analyses (critical load 2.94 kN) confirmed structural safety (yield safety factor ≥ 1.6) and favorable fatigue margins. A dual-channel sensing scheme—surface EMG from the rectus femoris and an IMU—drives a five-state gait finite state machine implemented on a low-power STM32H platform. The end-to-end EMG→PWM latency remained <200 ms (mean 185 ms). Bench tests reproduced commanded flexion within ±2.2%, with average electrical power of ~4.6 W and battery autonomy of ~5.7 h using a 1650 mAh Li-Po pack. Results demonstrate a pragmatic trade-off between functionality and cost: semi-active damping with EMG-triggered control and open, modular hardware suitable for small-lab fabrication. Meeting target metrics (mass ≤ 1 kg, latency ≤ 200 ms, autonomy ≥ 6 h, cost ≤ USD 500), the prototype indicates a viable pathway to broaden access to intelligent prostheses and provides a platform for future upgrades (e.g., neural network control and higher-efficiency actuators).