A closed-loop drop-foot correction system with gait event detection from the contralateral lower limb using fuzzy logic

In the present paper a closed loop fuzzy control scheme for the correction of the drop-foot syndrome is presented. The control scheme is based on EMG signals from the contralateral, unimpaired lower limb and its efficiency is tested by the application of the controller to a simulated bipedal locomotion with one lower limb suffering from the Drop-Foot Syndrome. Two are the major characteristics of the controller: identification of the phase where the stimulation must be provided using EMG signals from the contralateral, unimpaired lower limb and correction of the excitation signal according to the phase using EMG signals from the collateral impaired lower limb.