A review of the methods of processing EMG for use as a proportional control signal.

The use of EMG as a proportional control signal for prostheses is reviewed. The lack of success of existing proportional EMG-controlled prostheses is shown to be attributable in the greater part to the presence of low frequency "noise" in the processed EMG signal. If EMG is to yield useful proportional information, this noise must be eliminated, and to this end the methods of processing EMG are reviewed and the sources of noise examined. A number of methods for its removal are discussed.