# Smart Ankleband for Plug-and-Play Hand-Prosthetic Control

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2503.17846 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2503.17846/

## Key facts

- Cited by 1 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 22 Mar 2025.

## Built on by (most cited first, 1 of 1)

- [SonoRank: Towards Calibration-Free Real-Time Finger Flexion Detection from Forearm Ultrasound Sequences](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2607.07542/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Building robotic prostheses requires a sensor-based interface designed to provide the robotic hand with the control required to perform hand gestures. Traditional Electromyography (EMG) based prosthetics and emerging alternatives often face limitations such as muscle-activation limitations, high cost, and complex calibrations. In this paper, we present a low-cost robotic system composed of a smart ankleband for intuitive, calibration-free control of a robotic hand, and a robotic prosthetic hand that executes actions corresponding to leg gestures. The ankleband integrates an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) sensor with a lightweight neural network to infer user-intended leg gestures from motion data. Our system represents a significant step towards higher adoption rates of robotic prostheses among arm amputees, as it enables one to operate a prosthetic hand using a low-cost, low-power, and calibration-free solution. To evaluate our work, we collected data from 10 subjects and tested our prototype ankleband with a robotic hand on an individual with an upper-limb amputation. Our results demonstrate that this system empowers users to perform daily tasks more efficiently, requiring few compensatory movements.