Closed-loop control of a multifunctional myoelectric prosthesis with full-state anatomically congruent electrotactile feedback

State-of-the-art myoelectric hand prostheses provide multi-functional control but lack somatosensory feedback. To accommodate the full functionality of a dexterous prosthesis, the artificial sensory feedback needs to convey several degrees of freedom (DoF) simultaneously. However, this is a challenge with current methods as they are characterized by a low information bandwidth. In this study, we leverage the flexibility of a recently developed system for simultaneous electrotactile stimulation and electromyography (EMG) recording to present the first solution for closed-loop myoelectric control of a multifunctional prosthesis with full-state anatomically congruent electrotactile feedback. The novel feedback scheme (coupled encoding) conveyed proprioceptive (hand aperture, wrist rotation) and exteroceptive information (grasping force). The coupled encoding was compared to the conventional approach (sectorized encoding) and incidental feedback in 10 able-bodied and one amputee participant who used the system to perform a functional task. The results showed that both feedback approaches increased the accuracy of position control compared to incidental feedback. However, the feedback increased completion time, and it did not significantly improve grasping force control. Importantly, the performance of the coupled feedback was not significantly different compared to the conventional scheme, despite the latter being easier to learn during training. Overall, the results indicate that the developed feedback can improve prosthesis control across multiple DoFs but they also highlight the subjects' ability to exploit minimal incidental information. Importantly, the current setup is the first to convey three feedback variables simultaneously using electrotactile stimulation while providing multi-DoF myoelectric control with all hardware components mounted on the same forearm.