instructables

3D Printed EMG Prosthetic Hand

by Ahmad Ikram

If you've ever looked at prices for prosthetic arms, you may have noticed that they can cost upwards of $5000, with more
advanced myoelectric controlled arms priced at over $20,000. Such prices are not ideal considering that over 80 percent
of amputees are from developing countries where access to prosthetic limbs is limited by lack of health care and nancial
resources.
With 3D printing, however, we can create more cost-e ective prosthetics that can better address the need of amputees.
Some of the major advantages of 3D printing are rapid prototyping, customization of size, and the exibility to replace
parts by printing new ones. This project combines a 3D printed robotic arm from an open source project called InMoov
with an Arduino compatible muscle sensor from Advancer Technologies. While this arm may not be as advanced as a
$20,000 prosthetic limb, it is still a proof of concept that demonstrates the possibility of creating cost e ective limbs that
can provide comparable functionality at a fraction of the price. I also think it's a cool project in general and one that can
spur great interest for those who wish to work with prosthetics.
Supplies:

Major Parts:
3D Printed Hand from InMoov
Arduino Nano
MyoWare Muscle Sensor
Electrodes
Servo Motors (I used MG996R servos)
Wires
7.2 Volt Battery
Fishing line
Screws

Other:
Drill and sandpaper to enlarge openings and create a smooth nish
Two-part plastic adhesive to glue 3D printed parts
Wire stripper
Screwdriver
Electrical tape

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2y-bDIBcb0

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Step 1: 3D Printing & Assembly

As mentioned in the intro, the 3D printed hand used in this project comes from an open-source project called InMoov.
For this project we will only be using the hand and forearm. The link to the STL les can be found here and the link for the
assembly instructions can be found here.
Since there are a plethora of guides and resources on how to build this arm, I won't be covering the build process in this
guide. I have included pictures of some of the steps in case you want to reference them. It is important to be patient with
the build process since it may take some trail and error to get all the pieces to t and move smoothly. Take your time with
each step and enjoy the build process. I promise it will be very satisfying once you nish.

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Step 2: Wiring Everything Together

While it may look daunting at rst, the wiring for this circuit is actually pretty simple. In essence we want to connect each
of the 5 servos to a power, ground, and signal wire. In total, you should have 6 power wires and 6 ground wires coming
from your battery. I have included an image that illustrates this better.
You may be asking why we need 6 wires when we only have 5 servos. This is because we need to attach one of the power
wires to the Arduino board in order to power it and one of the ground wires to the ground pin on the Arduino. The signal
wires should be directly attached to any of the digital pins on the Arduino. For my circuit, I attached the servos to digital
pins D3, D5, D6, D9 and D10 on the Arduino Nano board.
Next, we want to attach our Myoware muscle sensor to the Arduino. To do this we want to attach the positive lead of the
Myoware sensor to the 3.3 Volt output on the Arduino board. We then want to take the negative lead of the Myoware
sensor and attach it to the ground pin on the Arduino board. Lastly, we want to attach our signal lead of the Myoware
sensor and attach it to one of the analog pins on the Arduino (I attached it to A3). This will allow the Arduino to read
signals from the muscle sensor that will be used to control the servos.
If you're new to circuits this may seem overwhelming and that's okay. This is all part of the learning process and it may
take some time to understand all the details. But with patience and curiosity you will come out of this experience
knowing so much more than when you started.

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Step 3: Programming the Arduino

If you haven't done so already, you will need to download the Arduino software to be able to program your Arduino. If
you're new to Arduino, I would rst recommend exploring the Arduino software and try uploading a few basic sketches
onto your Arduino to see how it works and troubleshoot any hardware compatibility issues. Again there are many guides
and resources on how to do this so I won't be going into detail here. The key is to feel comfortable using the Arduino and
that only comes with hands-on experience and trail by error.
The code for this project is actually pretty simple. You can nd my code at my GitHub page here. In our program, we
essentially want to read the analog inputs from the muscle sensor and use them to control the servo motors.
I remember feeling very satis ed seeing my program work when I nally gured it out. I want everyone to have the same
rewarding experience of seeing their programs work because I nd that it makes for an engaging experience and opens
room for creativity.

Step 4: Testing It Out

Once you've completed the previous steps, your arm should look complete. To turn on the arm, simply plug in the
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battery as this should power all the servos and the Arduino board. Next, place two electrodes on a muscle group
(forearm, bicep, etc) and snap the Myoware sensor onto the electrodes. Make sure the electrodes are spaced so that the
pins are able to align with Myoware. Take a third electrode and attach it to the black lead of the Myoware sensor. Place
this electrode at the end of the muscle group on which you placed your rst two electrodes. I have included pictures that
show this more clearly.
Once you've installed the muscle sensor, turn it on using the on/o switch and try exing your chosen muscle group. The
servos should contract all the ngers upon muscle exion and should release when you relax your muscle.
Congratulations, you've just made yourself a working myoelectric prosthetic hand.
If your arm does not work as intended, some common problems may be that your wires are not properly connected, your
circuit may not align with your code, or you may have a faulty servo or battery.

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Step 5: Conclusions

Overall, this project blends 3D printing and electromyography in a unique way to create a device that demonstrates the
potential for cost-e ective prosthetics. Again, this project is not meant to be a replacement for advanced prosthetics but
rather to show what can be achieved with a 3D printer and a few electronic parts. Through this project, I hope everyone
is able to learn more about 3D printed prosthetics and gain a better understanding of how they work and the steps we
can take to help create cost-e ective alternatives to expensive prosthetics.

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That's neat! Thanks for sharing :)

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