Title: Design of smart functional electric stimulator for physically challenged person

Authors: Devender Singh; Manvinder Kaur; Dinesh Bhatia

Addresses: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram University of Science and Technology, Murthal-131039, Sonepat, Haryana, India ' Department of Biomedical Engineering, Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram University of Science and Technology, Murthal-131039, Sonepat, Haryana, India ' Biomedical Engineering Department, North Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Shillong-793022, Meghalaya, India

Abstract: Paralysed muscles can regain their contraction by providing intact peripheral motor nerves, electrical stimulation. To elicit the muscle contraction of the peripheral nerves fibres may be achieved by activation of motor efferent or through reflex pathways by activation of sensory-afferent nerve fibres. The technique may also include activation of sensory nerve fibres for the purpose of eliciting a perceived response in the skin, which may be used to provide sensory clues to the non-sensory extremity. In more than 40 years of FES research, principles for safe stimulation of neuromuscular tissue have been established, and methods for modulating the strength of electrically induced muscle contractions have been discovered. The FES is a rehabilitation strategy which applies electrical current to the nerves that controls paralysed muscles in order to stimulate functional movement. Functional electrical stimulation includes both therapeutic applications and applications to obtain functional restoration of movement. Functional restoration of movement includes applications to enhance manipulation in the upper extremity or locomotion in the lower extremity.

Keywords: electromyograms; EMG; electrical stimulator design; smart stimulators; functional electrical stimulators; physically challenged people; paralysed muscles; muscle contraction; neuromuscular tissue; rehabilitation; functional movement; paralysis.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMEI.2014.063178

International Journal of Medical Engineering and Informatics, 2014 Vol.6 No.3, pp.258 - 265

Published online: 26 Jul 2014 *

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