1. Robotics Club
School of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science
Washington State University
P.O. Box 642752
Pullman, Washington 991642752
wsu.roboticsclub@gmail.com
robotics.eecs.wsu.edu
Project Proposal: Prosthetic Hand
Background
With an aging population and many war veterans, the medical device industry is growing
rapidly. In particular, prosthesis are finding their way into the lives of many individuals. The goal
of this project is to break free of the typical robotics stereotype of wires and metal, and create a
more lifelike product. Currently prosthetic arms and hands are controlled either by using a sling
with various linkage that creates the hand movements based upon how the sling is moved at the
shoulder or by finding individual nerve endings that connect to the phantom appendage. What
has not been done, however, is a robotic hand that operates by the use of an EEG sensor,
measuring brain wave activity to control hand movements. This project applies to a wide variety
of majors, as mechanical engineers are needed in the actual hand design and construction,
bioengineers for the EEG sensor application and the tie between robot and human, electrical
engineers for wiring and circuit design, and computer engineers for programming
microcontroller functions. This project aims to take a crossdisciplinary approach to solving a
real world problem.
We are proposing to construct a prosthetic hand that will be controlled by the mind. This project
is very different than other robotics projects the club is currently working on in that it has direct
human interaction via the brain. This project will give group members the opportunity to be part
of an interdisciplinary team to solve a complicated design problem. Members will learn how to
tie biological systems into inanimate ones as well as the engineering process behind
constructing a functioning prosthesis.
Objectives
● Construct a prototype prosthetic hand with the following control systems:
○ Mimicking by use of glove on operator's hand
○ Control by measuring brain wave activity with EEG sensors
● Tutorials/team learning will be done in the following topics:
○ Microcontrollers programming and functionality
○ Brain Anatomy and Physiology
○ Brain interfacing (from a bioengineering professor)
○ 3D Modeling/Force Analysis
○ 3D Printing
○ Circuit Design and Analysis
Scope
2. This project will be composed of a single team with members working on the aspects of their
interest. In particular the components consist of hand design, hand control, and brain wave
interfacing. This project is intended to continue well beyond this year as there are many
additions that can be made to a prosthetic hand such as sensing grip strength and hand design
improvements.
Timeframe
Task Start / End Dates
Phase I The team will start building a predesigned
prosthetic hand and ordering required
components (excluding EEG sensors).
September October
2015
Phase II This phase includes finishing constructing a
predesigned prosthetic hand found on
Instructables:
<http://www.instructables.com/id/TactLow
costAdvancedProstheticHand/>
A glove will be designed in a way that it can
be used as the control input into the built
prosthetic hand.
Additionally, research will be done on EEG
sensors and which would work for this
particular application. Fund raising/locating
grants for the sensor will be done.
A mimicking prosthetic hand controlled via a
glove should be done at this point.
October December 2015
================== End of Fall 2015 Semester ==================
Phase III One group will work with the EEG sensor to
measure how different body movements
create outputs from the sensor.
Additional hand designs will be worked on,
looking for improvements on the existing
hand.
The prosthetic hand, capable of opening and
closing using the EEG sensor will be done at
this point. If time allows, individual finger
movements will be added, however the main
goal is to simply have the hand open and
close.
January May 2016
3. Project Budget
Description Amount Quantity Total
3D printed parts for hand 29 pieces
Escap 16 Coreless DC Motor 12 5 $60
M2 Screw 6mm Length 0.60 30 $5
M2 Screw 12mm Length 0.50 10 $5
M2 Screw 20mm Length 0.50 10 $5
M2 Nut 0.10 50 $4.48
Steel Cable, McMaster part #: 3423T22 0.55/ft 10 ft $5.50
Towerpro SG90 Servo 2.50 2.50 $2.50
EEG Sensor 16 Lead (such as Epoc) $500$800 1 $500$800
Microcontroller, such as Chipkit MX4 Pro $50$80 1 $50$80
HBridges, such as Digilent pMod HB5 $28 5 $140
Power Supply (for prototyping so don’t go
through so many batteries)
$15 $45 1 $15 $45
PmodBT2 Bluetooth module $53.99 1 $53.99
Connectors/wire/components $50 1 $50
Overall Total: $896.47 $1256.47
Key Stakeholders
Sponsor WSU Robotics Club, WSU, and The FIZ
Others Individuals that use prosthesis
Monitoring and Evaluation
Throughout the design and building process, pictures will be taken and documentation
done so that this project can easily be repeated. The progress on the project will be posted on
the club’s website to increase interest in medical devices and demonstrate that the goals are
actually being met. If a suitable medical device competition can be found, entering this project in
it would provide a way of evaluation.
