Mechatronic Device for Multimodal Suppression of Parkinsonian Tremor **

震颤是帕金森氏病(PD)最严重的致残症状之一，严重影响**患者的生活。传统药物通常是无效的，而手术是高度侵入性的**和危险的。一种管理震颤的新方法包括使用涉及**通过致动器(例如，施加力的马达)进行机械抑制或**电气抑制(使用调制的电信号来刺激参与**产生震颤的肌肉)的设备。遗憾的是，文献中介绍的设备对于患者的日常使用来说**过于笨重和笨重，目前还没有商业化的设备。**在我们以前工作的基础上，本项目的目标是开发一种能够**通过机械抑制和电刺激相结合来抑制震颤运动的设备。**与其他仅使用机械抑制的设备相比，该设备有望**更紧凑、更轻，并提供更长的电池寿命。与仅使用电刺激的**设备相比，该设备有望能够更好地抑制**运动，减少疼痛和不适。**为了进行这项工作，我们将设计智能控制系统，以适应患者**耐受电刺激的能力。我们将使用智能材料设计新的执行器。我们将**研究如何在结合机械抑制的情况下电刺激肌肉。**最后，将在帕金森氏症患者身上进行验证实验，以确定该设备用于临床的**可行性。**该项目的预期结果将是有效结合机械抑制和电刺激的第一个震颤抑制设备原型**。这项新的**技术将极大地有利于因手腕和**手指震颤而致残的患者，并有望显著提高他们进行日常生活活动的能力。

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.