An elbow extension neuroprosthesis for individuals with tetraplegia

Author

Crago, P.E. ; Memberg, W.D. ; Usey, M.K. ; Keith, M.W. ; Kirsch, R.F. ; Chapman, G.J. ; Katorgi, M.A. ; Perreault, E.J.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Biomed. Eng., Case Western Reserve Univ., Cleveland, OH, USA

Volume

6

Issue

1

fYear

1998

fDate

3/1/1998 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

1

Lastpage

6

Abstract

Functional electrical stimulation (FES) of the triceps to restore control of elbow extension was integrated into a portable hand grasp neuroprosthesis for use by people with cervical level spinal cord injury. An accelerometer mounted on the upper arm activated triceps stimulation when the arm was raised above a predetermined threshold angle. Elbow posture was controlled by the subjects voluntarily flexing to counteract the stimulated elbow extension. The elbow moments created by the stimulated triceps were at least 4 N·m, which was sufficient to extend the arm against gravity. Electrical stimulation of the triceps increased the range of locations and orientations in the workspace over which subjects could grasp and move objects. In addition, object acquisition speed was increased. Thus elbow extension enhances a person´s ability to grasp and manipulate objects in an unstructured environment

Keywords

biocontrol; bioelectric phenomena; biomechanics; muscle; neurophysiology; prosthetics; accelerometer; cervical level spinal cord injury; elbow extension control restoration; elbow extension neuroprosthesis; elbow posture; functional electrical stimulation; object acquisition speed; object grasping; object manipulation; portable hand grasp neuroprosthesis; predetermined threshold angle; tetraplegia; triceps; upper arm; Accelerometers; Arm; Asia; Biomedical engineering; Elbow; Electrical stimulation; Gravity; Neuromuscular stimulation; Shoulder; Spinal cord injury;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Rehabilitation Engineering, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1063-6528

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/86.662614

Filename

662614