Design and Fabrication of 3D-Printed Prosthetic Hand with EMG-Based Grip Control

Objective: To develop a cost-effective, 3D-printed prosthetic hand for upper-limb amputees in India, featuring real-time EMG-based grip control and functional demonstration.

India has a significant population of upper-limb amputees, many of whom cannot afford advanced prosthetic devices due to high costs and limited accessibility. The lack of functional, affordable prosthetic hands greatly impacts their quality of life and ability to work, especially in rural and underserved areas.

This project aims to engineer a low-cost, 3D-printed prosthetic hand integrated with an electromyography (EMG)-based control system. The hand will detect muscle signals from the residual limb, process them using embedded electronics, and actuate finger movements for various grip patterns. The approach emphasizes modular, rapid prototyping through 3D printing, open-source hardware, and locally sourced components to ensure scalability and repairability.

Key deliverables include: a fully assembled 3D-printed prosthetic hand, an EMG sensor interface, a microcontroller-based control system, and validation of grip strength and response accuracy. The final demonstration will showcase working grip control on a live subject or model limb, alongside a technical report and publishable paper.

The project promotes affordable assistive technology, supports the Make-in-India initiative, and demonstrates how engineering innovation can address accessibility and rehabilitation challenges at scale in Indian society.