Wheelchair Neuroprosthesis for Improving Dynamic Trunk Stability
Wheelchair Neuroprosthesis for Improving Dynamic Trunk Stability
复制标题
用于改善动态躯干稳定性的轮椅神经假体
DOI：
10.1109/tnsre.2017.2727072
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发表时间：
2017
影响因子：
4.9
通讯作者：
Masani Kei
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Patel Kramay;Milosevic Matija;Nakazawa Kimitaka;Popovic Milos R.;Masani Kei
躯干不稳定是胸段和颈段脊髓损伤患者的主要问题。功能性电刺激(FES)神经假体是一种使用小电流人工收缩肌肉的技术，以前曾被用来在准静态和动态坐着时改善躯干的稳定性。本论文的目的是开发第一个电动轮椅神经假体，并测试其改善躯干稳定性的可行性。11名男性、身体健全的人参加了可行性研究。当参与者就座时，轮椅以缓慢和快速的加速向前或向后移动。测试了两种不同的FES方案：1)共同收缩和2)躯干伸肌和屈肌的方向依赖性收缩。以低于运动阈值的假刺激作为对照条件。使用惯性运动传感器来量化躯干的最大角位移和速度。结果表明，与对照条件相比，定向收缩和共收缩都减小了躯干的位移和速度。然而，与联合收缩相比，方向依赖性肌肉收缩在改善躯干稳定性方面更有效。总体而言，证明了基于轮椅的神经假体的可行性。未来的研究将纳入轮椅运动的反馈，并在遭受脊髓损伤的个人身上测试神经假体。
Trunk instability is a major problem for individuals with thoracic and cervical spinal cord injury. Functional electrical stimulation (FES) neuroprosthesis, a technology that uses small electrical currents to artificially contract muscles, has previously been utilized to improve trunk stability during quasi-static and dynamic sitting. The aim of this paper was to develop the first powered wheelchair-based neuroprosthesis and to test its feasibility for improving trunk stability. Eleven male, able-bodied individuals participated in the feasibility study. While participants were seated, the wheelchair was moved in the forward or backward directions with slow and fast accelerations. Two different FES protocols were tested: 1) co-contraction and 2) directionally-dependent contraction of trunk extensors and flexors. Sham stimulations with intensities below the motor threshold were applied as the control conditions. Inertial motion sensors were used to quantify the maximum angular displacement and velocity of the trunk. Results showed that both directional contractions and co-contraction reduced trunk displacement and velocity, compared with the control conditions. However, directionally-dependent muscle contractions were more effective in improving trunk stability, compared with co-contractions. Overall, feasibility of the wheelchair-based neuroprosthesis was demonstrated. Future research will incorporate feedback from wheelchair movements and test the neuroprosthesis with individuals who sustained spinal cord injury.