SINGLE CHANNEL HYBRID FES GAIT SYSTEM

描述(申请人提供)：这项研究的长期目标是为脊髓损伤引起的截瘫患者开发一种结合功能电刺激(FES)和独特的储能矫形器(ESO)的活动辅助装置。ESO从受刺激的股四头肌获取能量，并将能量输送到其他关节，以实现受控的流动性。与以前的混合FES系统相比，ESO方法的主要创新是它只使用单一的刺激渠道，这应该会对用户的易用性和接受性产生积极影响。即使是原始步态的恢复对许多截瘫患者来说也很重要。虽然轮椅提供了日常活动的功能，但仍然需要辅助设备，使人们能够在轮椅附近站立和行走。FES用于移动性的研究已经有40多年了，但由于疲劳、控制和易用性的限制，对于大多数人来说，FES仍然不是一个可行的选择。ESO是一种新的方法，旨在解决所有这三个限制，通过在两侧使用单一表面刺激通道来驱动多个关节和矫形器，该矫形器可控制并可提供反重力支持以减少刺激性肌肉疲劳。由于ESO方法是新的，在进行临床疗效演示之前必须证明技术上的可行性。因此，本项目的目的是证明可行性，有两个目的。目标1是设计和制作经理股票期权的硬件、软件和控制系统原型，并进行台架测试，以评估其工程规格。目标1是设计驱动的，其成功的结果将通过展示一个工作原型来标志。目标2是在研究实验室中使用两名截瘫患者对该原型进行评估。假设驱动目标2是两个ESO用户将获得与现有FES辅助步态解决方案相同或更好的步态，包括现有的将FES与矫形器相结合的混合FES步态系统。将通过将两个受试者的步行指标与现有技术系统的已公布指标进行比较来进行比较。许多因脊髓损伤而瘫痪的人渴望在自己的意志下站立和行走，即使由此产生的行动能力是原始的，并且在轮椅附近。建议的FES辅助步态方法是新的，与目前的解决方案相比，它可能为更多的SCI患者提供选择。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The long-term objective of this research is to develop a mobility aid for persons with paraplegia caused by spinal cord injury that combines functional electrical stimulation (FES) with a unique, energy storing orthosis (ESO). The ESO captures energy from the stimulated quadriceps and pipes the energy to other joints for controlled mobility. The main innovation of the ESO approach over prior hybrid FES systems is that it uses only a single channel of stimulation which should positively impact ease of use and acceptance by users. Restoration of even primitive gait is important to many individuals with paraplegia. While wheelchairs provide functional, daily mobility, there remains a need for assistive aids that enable people to stand and walk in the vicinity of a wheelchair. FES for mobility has been researched for over 40 years yet still is not a feasible option for most because of limitations of fatigue, control and ease of use. The ESO is a new approach designed to address all three limitations by using a single channel of surface stimulation on each side to drive multiple joints and an orthosis that can be controlled and can provide anti-gravity support to reduce stimulated muscle fatigue. Because the ESO approach is new, technical feasibility must be demonstrated before undertaking a demonstration of clinical efficacy. Therefore, the objective of this project is to prove feasibility with two aims. Aim 1 is to design and prototype the ESO hardware, software and control system and to conduct bench tests to evaluate its engineering specifications. Aim 1 is design driven and its successful outcome will be marked by demonstrating a working prototype. Aim 2 is to evaluate the prototype in the research laboratory using two human subjects with paraplegia. The hypothesis driving Aim 2 is that the two ESO users will achieve gait that is the same or better than gait with existing FES-aided gait solutions, including existing hybrid FES gait system that combine FES with an orthosis. Comparisons will be done by comparing walking metrics for the two subjects to published metrics for prior art systems. Many people who are paralyzed because of spinal cord injury have a desire to stand and walk under their own volition, even if the resulting mobility is primitive and within the vicinity of a wheelchair. The proposed approach for FES-aided gait is new and may provide choices for a wider pool of people with SCI than current solutions.