AAU Student Projects - visit Aalborg University's student projects portal
A master's thesis from Aalborg University
Book cover


Design & Implementation of a Control Unit for a Tongue Control System

Authors

;

Term

10. term

Publication year

2009

Pages

103

Abstract

Dette 10. semester-projekt på specialiseringen Anvendt signalbehandling og implementering ved Aalborg Universitet undersøger, hvordan algoritmerne i styreenheden til et tungebaseret kontrolsystem kan forbedres og implementeres. Formålet er at hjælpe mennesker med alvorlige bevægelseshandicap med at betjene eksterne enheder som computere, kørestole og mobiltelefoner. Systemet er udviklet af HST-afdelingen ved Aalborg Universitet, hvor der findes prototyper. Mundstykkeenheden (Mouthpiece Unit, MU), som registrerer brugerens kommandoer med tungen, er fuldt udviklet og sender instruktioner til en centralenhed (Central Unit, CU), der styrer de eksterne enheder. MU-signalerne påvirkes af støj og temperaturdrift. Efter analyse af disse forstyrrelser fjerner et skræddersyet Kalman-filter—en metode, der estimerer den nyttige signaldel og undertrykker støj—dem uden forsinkelse eller datatab. For at implementere kommunikations- og interfacealgoritmer blev forskellige hardwareplatforme vurderet. Projektet valgte Altera DE2 FPGA, en omprogrammerbar hardwareplatform, som giver fleksibel tilføjelse af fremtidige interfaces. Kalman-filteret er også implementeret på denne platform. Med de medfølgende DE2-værktøjer blev logikken til at styre en computers musemarkør implementeret. Behandlingen af signaler fra otte sensorer er gennemført med gode resultater og muliggør sammen med Kalman-filteret jævne og præcise bevægelser af musemarkøren fra MU. Projektet afrundes med en diskussion af ydeevne og fremtidige perspektiver.

This 10th semester project in the Applied Signal Processing and Implementation specialization at Aalborg University examines how to improve and implement the algorithms in the control unit of a tongue-based control system. The medical goal is to help people with severe motor impairments operate external devices such as computers, wheelchairs, and mobile phones. The system has been developed by the HST Department at Aalborg University, where prototypes exist. The Mouthpiece Unit (MU), which detects tongue commands, is fully developed and sends instructions to a Central Unit (CU) that controls external devices. MU signals are affected by noise and temperature drift. After analyzing these disturbances, a custom Kalman filter—an estimation method that separates the useful signal from noise—successfully removes them without delay or data loss. To implement communication and interface algorithms, several hardware platforms were evaluated. The project chose the Altera DE2 FPGA, a reprogrammable hardware board that allows flexible addition of future interfaces. The Kalman filter was also implemented on this platform. Using the DE2 tools, the logic to control a computer mouse cursor was implemented. Processing signals from eight sensors has been successfully realized and, combined with the Kalman filter, enables smooth and accurate cursor movement from the MU. The project concludes with a discussion of performance and future directions.

[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]