E Actitrode: The new selective stimulation interface for functional movements in hemiplegics patients

We describe the new multi-contact electrode-array for surface electrical stimulation, and the corresponding interface device that allows on-line selection of the conductive fields during the application of the system. This new device has a specific value for therapeutic applications of electrical stimulation since it allows effective generation of desired functional movements. The user-friendly interface also allows patients at home to select the optimal electrode array; thereby, to receive therapies out of the clinical environment. The electrode was tested in three post-stroke hemiplegics patients. The pilot experiments showed that system works sufficiently good for control of fingers during grasp and release functions without the interference of the wrist movement. The use of electrode is also envisioned for many other applications (foot-drop fitness, shoulder subluxation, etc)

Smart Protocols for Physical Therapy of Foot Drop Based on Functional Electrical Stimulation: A Case Study

Functional electrical stimulation (FES) is used for treating foot drop by delivering electrical pulses to the anterior tibialis muscle during the swing phase of gait. This treatment requires that a patient can walk, which is mostly possible in the later phases of rehabilitation. In the early phase of recovery, the therapy conventionally consists of stretching exercises, and less commonly of FES delivered cyclically. Nevertheless, both approaches minimize patient engagement, which is inconsistent with recent findings that the full rehabilitation potential could be achieved by an active psycho-physical engagement of the patient during physical therapy. Following this notion, we proposed smart protocols whereby the patient sits and ankle movements are FES-induced by self-control. In six smart protocols, movements of the paretic ankle were governed by the non-paretic ankle with different control strategies, while in the seventh voluntary movements of the paretic ankle were used for stimulation triggering. One stroke survivor in the acute phase of recovery participated in the study. During the therapy, the patient’s voluntary ankle range of motion increased and reached the value of normal gait after 15 sessions. Statistical analysis did not reveal the differences between the protocols in FES-induced movements.The APC was funded by Lund University Librar

Model for Calculating Average Vehicle Mileage for Different Vehicle Classes Based on Real Data: A Case Study of Croatia

Mileage data collected via surveys based on self-estimation, reports from garages and other sources which use estimations are rough estimates and differ greatly from the actual mileage. Vehicle mileage is a major factor in emission calculations and needs to be as accurate as possible to obtain reliable emission models. Odometer readings are collected annually at the periodic technical inspection in Croatia. Average mileage data were analyzed for vehicles up to 20 years of age in 2017. Vehicles were classified by curb weight and fuel type. Such classification proved to follow driver behavior and the intended purpose of the vehicle. For each vehicle class, the model was applied using the vehicle age and its population size as inputs for calculating average mileage. Real data shows that vehicles in Croatia considerably exceed the estimated mileage in the years following the first registration of the vehicle and that they cannot be compared to data collected in other studies based on estimations. The difference lies in the covered mileage after vehicles reach ten years of age. The outcome of this study has resulted in a model for calculating average vehicle mileage. The model is suitable for use in various analyses for Croatia or for countries with similar driving habits and economic status now and for years to come

A decision support system for electrode shaping in multi-pad FES foot drop correction

Background: Functional electrical stimulation (FES) can be applied as an assistive and therapeutic aid in the rehabilitation of foot drop. Transcutaneous multi-pad electrodes can increase the selectivity of stimulation; however, shaping the stimulation electrode becomes increasingly complex with an increasing number of possible stimulation sites. We described and tested a novel decision support system (DSS) to facilitate the process of multi-pad stimulation electrode shaping. The DSS is part of a system for drop foot treatment that comprises a customdesigned multi-pad electrode, an electrical stimulator, and an inertial measurement unit. Methods: The system was tested in ten stroke survivors (3-96 months post stroke) with foot drop over 20 daily sessions. The DSS output suggested stimulation pads and parameters based on muscle twitch responses to short stimulus trains. The DSS ranked combinations of pads and current amplitudes based on a novel measurement of the quality of the induced movement and classified them based on the movement direction (dorsiflexion, plantar flexion, eversion and inversion) of the paretic foot. The efficacy of the DSS in providing satisfactory pad-current amplitude choices for shaping the stimulation electrode was evaluated by trained clinicians. The range of paretic foot motion was used as a quality indicator for the chosen patterns. Results: The results suggest that the DSS output was highly effective in creating optimized FES patterns. The position and number of pads included showed pronounced inter-patient and inter-session variability; however, zones for inducing dorsiflexion and plantar flexion within the multi-pad electrode were clearly separated. The range of motion achieved with FES was significantly greater than the corresponding active range of motion (p < 0.05) during the first three weeks of therapy. Conclusions: The proposed DSS in combination with a custom multi-pad electrode design covering the branches of peroneal and tibial nerves proved to be an effective tool for producing both the dorsiflexion and plantar flexion of a paretic foot. The results support the use of multi-pad electrode technology in combination with automatic electrode shaping algorithms for the rehabilitation of foot drop.The research has been supported in part by grants of the Basque Government (PI2013-10), the ERA-NET EU/MINECO project (INDIGO-DBT2-051) and by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of Serbia (Project no. 175016)

Electrotactile Communication via Matrix Electrode Placed on the Torso Using Fast Calibration, and Static vs. Dynamic Encoding

Electrotactile stimulation is a technology that reproducibly elicits tactile sensations and can be used as an alternative channel to communicate information to the user. The presented work is a part of an effort to develop this technology into an unobtrusive communication tool for first responders. In this study, the aim was to compare the success rate (SR) between discriminating stimulation at six spatial locations (static encoding) and recognizing six spatio-temporal patterns where pads are activated sequentially in a predetermined order (dynamic encoding). Additionally, a procedure for a fast amplitude calibration, that includes a semi-automated initialization and an optional manual adjustment, was employed and evaluated. Twenty subjects, including twelve first responders, participated in the study. The electrode comprising the 3 × 2 matrix of pads was placed on the lateral torso. The results showed that high SRs could be achieved for both types of message encoding after a short learning phase; however, the dynamic approach led to a statistically significant improvement in messages recognition (SR of 93.3%), compared to static stimulation (SR of 83.3%). The proposed calibration procedure was also effective since in 83.8% of the cases the subjects did not need to adjust the stimulation amplitude manually

PAMETNA PČELARSKA VAGA

Rad ne sadrži sažetak

PAMETNA PČELARSKA VAGA

Rad ne sadrži sažetak

Classification of muscle twitch response using ANN: Application in multi-pad electrode optimization

In this paper we present a method for optimization of spatial selectivity of multi-pad electrode during transcutaneous Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES). The presented method is based on measurent of individual muscle twitches using Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) accelerometers positioned on hand, while stimulating with low frequency electrical stimulation via pads within multi-pad electrode. When elicited, wrist or fingers flexion/extension produce different, characteristic wave shapes of acceleration, by using trained Artificial Neural Network (ANN) we can detect these characteristic signals and detect correlation of each pad and activated muscle beneath. Results presented in this paper show high degree of accurate classification of the elicited movement in inter-subject testing.Peer reviewe