Zynq-based acceleration of robust high density myoelectric signal processing

Advances in electromyographic (EMG) sensor technology and machine learning algorithms have led to an increased research effort into high density EMG-based pattern recognition methods for prosthesis control. With the goal set on an autonomous multi-movement prosthesis capable of performing training and classification of an amputee’s EMG signals, the focus of this paper lies in the acceleration of the embedded signal processing chain. We present two Xilinx Zynq-based architectures for accelerating two inherently different high density EMG-based control algorithms. The first hardware accelerated design achieves speed-ups of up to 4.8 over the software-only solution, allowing for a processing delay lower than the sample period of 1 ms. The second system achieved a speed-up of 5.5 over the software-only version and operates at a still satisfactory low processing delay of up to 15 ms while providing a higher reliability and robustness against electrode shift and noisy channels.