Title: An EMG-control functional electrical stimulation (FES) system for restoration of gait in foot drop patients

Authors: S.K. Sabut; M. Manjunatha

Addresses: Department of Instrumentation Technology, M. S. Ramaiah Institute of Technology, Bangalore, Karnataka, India ' School of Medical Science & Technology, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India

Abstract: In this study, a non-invasive EMG-controlled Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) system was developed and tested with normal subjects to restore foot drop during gait. To control the stimulation output of the system, the subjects must retain some dorsiflexor muscle power. The control signal that adjusts the electrical stimulus intensity of ankle dorsiflexors is based on the detection of the threshold of the amplified, rectified and integrated Electromyographic (EMG) signal recorded using surface electrodes positioned over the ankle dorsiflexors and associated group of muscles. The voluntary contraction of ankle dorsiflexors could serve as the trigger of the stimulation of the system and to adjust the stimulus intensity automatically. The device was tested on a normal subject and the subject was successfully controlled the stimulus output by voluntary contracting the ankle dorsiflexion.

Keywords: non-invasive techniques; foot drop; strokes; dorsiflexion; electromyography; voluntary contraction; EMG; functional electrical stimulation; gait restoration; ankle dorsiflexors; muscle power; stimulus intensity.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBET.2013.056286

International Journal of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, 2013 Vol.12 No.1, pp.84 - 96

Received: 27 Feb 2013
Accepted: 26 Jun 2013
Published online: 27 Sep 2014 *

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