EMG control ciruit. PLEASE HELP! pics

[whitey111]

Hi guys, im creating a pneumatic muscle actuator exoskeleton arm. Im having trouble in the circuit design though. I need the impulse from the surface electrode to go through the emg ciruit, be amplified and then transfer into a circuit where i can PROGRAM the flow into the muscle through a soleniod valve. i would appreciate anyones help. where can i find a schematic for this? what kind of modifications would i need to the schematic link ive pasted below?

http://robotics.hulcoop.com/4.html

 

[geekEE]

Is this a product or something for a class? The circuit looks quite close to what you're asking for but change the H-bridge to some sort of low-side switch(es). However, be very careful about safety considerations. In that article, there is no mention made of any kind of isolation and if you're connecting electrodes to your body, you really don't want a fault to result in current flowing through your body. I hope you have someone with medical instrumentation experience to consult with on this project. Be safe.

Glenn

 

[whitey111]

Thanks for the response glen. the project is ultimately for commercial use, but its still in the design stages. What specificaly did you have in mind in terms of isolation. If there is an extra precaution i can make i'll be glad to make the extra effort.

 

[geekEE]

I'm not a medical equipment guy, but you'll minimally have to comply with IEC 60601-1 if this is to be a product. There are probably lots of other standards that apply that I don't know about. Again, I would say to get someone that has done this before, especially if any part of it plugs into a wall socket.

Glenn

 

[OperaHouse]

A little off topic, but I remember back to the late 60's. A mentor of mine was head of biomedical engineering at a major teaching hospital. He was using those cheap $1.99 metronones that were free wired and set in epoxy of what looked like ice cube trays. He just added a transformer to give them a kick. These were external pace makers to keep people alive. I asked what if one failed. He said the people were on monitors and someone would come around in time. Perhaps the solution to rising health care costs is to get rid of those darn regulations!

 

[whitey111]

THanks for the info guys. I've been reading up on circuit design, common parts, symbols etc... but im still a novice at best. I can identify the names of most of the symbols, but in the schematic i posted, but im not sure of the types, or the current level they need to sustain. Is there somwhere i can go to get this circuit created for me, or can someone give me a parts list from the altered schematic link ive posted? Can someone point me in the right direction, perhaps even a book so i can educated my self on circuitry design and building.