Hands-Free Electromyographic Control of a UGV

This program combines state-of-the-art (SoA) approach to gesture and sub-vocal speech recognition with pioneering knowledge in the development of high-impedance bioelectrodes. QUASAR's recent development of these new electrodes enables accurate measurement of bioelectric signals without contact to the skin, and opens up the possibility of a rugged sensor suite wearable in operational environments. The goal of Phase I is to demonstrate the feasibility of integrating the Insulated Bioelectrode and EMG technologies, and to develop a rugged, accurate and practical EMG-based system for hands-free tele-operation of a Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV). The study will be done on two modalities - EMG on the throat and on the forearm. Using an initial six-command lexicon, characteristics such as accuracy, robustness of the algorithm, and training time will be quantified during a limited trial. Ways of mounting sensors for both the forearm and throat will be developed and tested under a variety of conditions. At the end of the study, QUASAR will make a determination on which modality is most appropriate as the basis of a tele-operation system. In Phase II, a prototype system and algorithms for tele-operation will be demonstrated. The target configuration is a rugged, noninvasive system for hands-free control of a UGV.