A Comparative Study on the Optimization of EMG Systems for Controlling Myoelectric Prosthetics

Abstract

This paper presents a comparative analysis of two analog modules for acquiring biological electrical signals, the AD8232 and the SEN0240, with a view to their use in an experimental myoelectric control system for an upper limb prosthesis. The study stems from the need to identify a module capable of autonomously distinguishing between muscle rest and voluntary contraction, so that the acquired signal can be used to control a shape-memory (alloy) actuator via a microcontroller and an N-MOSFET transistor. The comparison focuses on criteria such as signal stability, ease of integration with Arduino, sensitivity to artifacts, and practical utility for controlling an actuator. The experimental results indicate that the SEN0240 offers a more direct alignment with the requirements of a myoelectric application, while the AD8232 can be used to detect bioelectric signals but has some drawbacks. Thus, this paper justifies the selection of the SEN0240 module for the continued development of the experimental system for controlling the actuator using myoelectric signals.