Natural grasping movement recognition and force estimation using electromyography

Electromyography (EMG) generated by human hand movements is usually used to decode different action types with high accuracy. However, the classifications of the gestures rarely consider the impact of force, and the estimation of the grasp force when performing natural grasping movements is so far overlooked. Decoding natural grasping movements and estimating the force generated by the associated movements can help patients to improve the accuracy of prosthesis control. This study mainly focused on two aspects: the classification of four natural grasping movements and the force estimation of these actions. For this purpose, we designed an experimental platform where subjects could perform four common natural grasping movements in daily life, including pinch, palmar, twist, and plug grasp, to complete target profiles. On the one hand, the results showed that, for natural grasping movements with different levels of force (three levels at 20, 50, and 80%), the average accuracy could reach from 91.43 to 97.33% under five classification schemes. On the other hand, the feasibility of force estimation for natural grasping movements was demonstrated. Furthermore, in the process of force estimation, we confirmed that the regression performance about plug grasp was the best, and the average R2 could reach 0.9082. Besides, we found that the regression results were affected by the speed of force application. These findings contribute to the natural control of myoelectric prosthesis and the EMG-based rehabilitation training system, improving the user’s experience and acceptance.