Whenever we move our arms and hands, multiple muscles make coordinated contractions and each muscle emits its own small electrical signature (called myoelectricity), like it is its own instrument in an orchestra. Each different arm and hand movement results in a unique but repeatable set of these myoelectric patterns—like different songs from the orchestra.

Myoelectric signals are very tiny but they can be detected by electrodes on the surface of our skin. Using a full array of electrode contacts on the skin—covering the whole area of these underlying muscle contractions—lets all of the rich muscle pattern information be captured (akin to an array of microphones over our orchestra).

The patterns of information are representations of what the human is intending to do and can be decoded by algorithms calibrated to recognize them.

The complex sets of myoelectric patterns need to be “decoded” in real time and matched to the arm or hand action that is intended. Coapt’s pattern recognition is a system of finely tuned algorithms providing machine learning that does just that, specifically for the residual muscle signals of those with upper limb loss or difference. For example, the pattern of myoelectric activity recorded on the residual forearm during hand opening is different from the pattern recorded while the hand is being closed, or making a point gesutre, or turning a wrist, and so on.

The Complete Control pattern recognition-based intent decoder system listens to the myoelectric activity and uses mathematical algorithms to determine when a pattern matches the user’s intention to make an arm or hand movement. It then tells the prosthesis to move accordingly, providing intuitive control of multiple prosthetic movements.

The Coapt Complete Control Pattern Recognition system is device agnostic. In other words, a person with an upper-limb difference can use various prosthetic components from different providers, knowing that Coapt’s technology can help the wearer control all of them more naturally. In fact, Coapt’s device is compatible with the majority of upper limb powered prosthetic components on the market, with more than 400 upper-limb prosthesis combinations.

New with Coapt’s Gen2® system, the Control Coach® Artificial Intelligence companion analyzes and evaluates how the users are personalizing their own intent decoding. Control Coach® is like sending the Coapt clinical expertise home with the user–providing quick and routine guidance to make sure they are getting the best function out of their artificial limb technology at all times. Use Control Coach® with the Control Companion® iOS and Android mobile apps.