Control of electrically-stimulated walking of paraplegics via above- and below-lesion EMG signature identification

The authors describe the use of electromyographic (EMG) signatures for controlling functional electrical stimulation (FES) in upper-motor-neuron paraplegics to enable them to walk with the help of a walker. It was shown that the above-lesion EMG control and below-lesion response-EMG control serve complementary and crucial roles in total FES control. It was also shown that below-lesion response-EMG control of stimulation levels can play a crucial role in FES, regardless of above-lesion EMG control. Actual patient-test-results using the above EMG controls are discussed. These results illustrate how the present control system, which integrates the paralyzed person and electrical stimuli by signature analysis of EMG signals, yields walker-supported walking by paraplegics in a manner that recognizes and executes the patient´s intended limb functions and compensates for muscle fatigue