An evolvable hardware chip and its application as a multi-function prosthetic hand controller

Abstract

This paper describes the application of genetic al-gorithms to the biomedical engineering problem of a multi-function myoelectric prosthetic hand controller. This is achieved by an innovative LSI chip (EHW chip), i.e., a VLSI implementation of Evolvable Hardware (EHW), which can adapt its own circuit structure to its environment au-tonomously and quickly by using genetic algo-rithms. Usually, a long training period (almost one month) is required before multi-function my-oelectric prosthetic hands can be controlled, how-ever, the EHW chip controller developed here can reduce this period and it has been designed for easy implementation within a prosthetic hand. There are plans to commercialize the prosthetic hand with the EHW chip, and the medical de-partment of Hokkaido University has already de-cided to adopt this for clinical treatment.