Med Biol Eng Comput, 2009 · DOI: 10.1007/s11517-009-0479-3 · Published: May 1, 2009
This paper presents a control system for arm movement using functional electrical stimulation (FES) in individuals with high-level spinal cord injuries. The system combines feedforward and feedback control strategies. The feedforward controller anticipates the muscle activation needed for movement, while the feedback controller adjusts for errors caused by fatigue or external forces. The controller was designed and tested using a computer model of the arm, demonstrating good accuracy even with simulated muscle fatigue and disturbances.
The presented controller design can be used as a basis for developing more sophisticated FES systems for upper-extremity rehabilitation in individuals with tetraplegia.
The model-based approach facilitates the exploration of various control strategies before human implementation, reducing the need for invasive and expensive procedures.
The control strategy can be further adapted and customized to individual patients, incorporating patient-specific arm models and adapting to the dynamics of the FES-driven arm to produce more accurate movements.