Authorities approve prosthesis controlled by muscle signals
A prosthetic arm that performs multiple, simultaneous powered movements controlled by electrical signals from electromyogram (EMG) electrodes has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
According to the FDA, EMG electrodes in DEKA Integrated Solutions’ DEKA Arm System detect electrical activity caused by the contraction of muscles close to where the prosthesis is attached. The electrodes send the electrical signals to a computer processor in the prosthesis that translates them to a specific movement or movements.
The EMG electrodes in DEKA Arm System convert electrical signals into up to 10 powered movements, and it is said to be the same shape and weight as an adult arm. In addition to the EMG electrodes, the DEKA Arm System contains a combination of mechanisms including switches, movement sensors, and force sensors that cause the prosthesis to move.
In a statement, Christy Foreman, director of the Office of Device Evaluation at the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health said: ‘This innovative prosthesis provides a new option for people with certain kinds of arm amputations.
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