Northwestern researchers develop smartwatch technology to improve prosthetic hand control

Northwestern Now News reported that researchers from Northwestern University's SPICE Lab have developed two new ways for smartwatches to measure hand and arm movements. Led by Karan Ahuja, the engineering team designed technology that could lead to improved control of prosthetic hands. [1]

According to Northwestern Now News, one system uses electrodes placed on the back of a watch to sense wrist muscles and tendons, allowing the device to recognize hand gestures such as a thumbs up. A second system enables an ordinary smartwatch to learn new personalized activities, such as brushing teeth or lifting weights, from only a few demonstrations. [1]

Existing smartwatches and smartphones can detect specific movements, but those are usually limited to a fixed set of predefined motions. The new Northwestern technology takes a more flexible approach, and the team is scaling up its research alongside partners at Google. [1]

The development comes amid broader advancements in wearable prosthetic technology. As HEROIC BREAKING NEWS reported earlier, researchers previously tested a six-channel acoustomyography bracelet that recognized five hand gestures with 95.3 per cent accuracy using real-time muscle activity. [5]