Mechatronic Device for Multimodal Suppression of Parkinsonian Tremor **

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Tremor, one of the most disabling symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD), significantly affects**the lives of patients. Traditional medicines are often ineffective and surgery is highly invasive**and risky. A new approach to managing tremor includes using devices that involve either**mechanical suppression via actuators (e.g., motors that apply forces), or electrical**suppression (using a modulated electrical signal to stimulate the muscles involved in**generating tremor). Unfortunately, the devices that have been presented in the literature are**too heavy and cumbersome for daily use by patients and none are currently commercially**available.**Building on our previous work, the objective of this project is to develop a device that can**suppress tremor motion by combining both mechanical suppression and electrical stimulation.**Compared to other devices that use mechanical suppression alone, this device is expected to**be more compact in size, lower in weight, and offer an extended battery life. Compared to**devices that use electrical stimulation alone, this device is expected to be able to suppress**motion better and to decrease pain and discomfort.**To conduct this work, we will design smart control systems that adapt to the patients ability to**tolerate electrical stimulation. We will design new actuators using smart materials. We will**investigate how to electrically stimulate muscle when combined with mechanical suppression.**Finally, a validation experiment will be performed on individuals with PD to determine the**feasibility of the device for clinical use.**The expected outcome of this project will be a first prototype of a tremor suppression device**that effectively incorporates both mechanical suppression and electrical stimulation. This new**technology will be greatly beneficial to patients who are disabled by tremor of the wrist and**fingers and is expected to significantly improve their ability to perform activities of daily living.