Patients suffering from any type of motor control loss due to nervous system traumas or strokes can undergo a treatment aimed at capturing attempts by the nervous system to move a muscle, then amplifying and returning this stimulus to it.
Research being carried out by UTFPR in conjunction with UEL and other institutions, with one of the responsible individuals being professor Dr. José Jair Mendes from DAELN (JJ), aims to develop devices capable of detecting these myoelectric signals emitted by the patient. The research aims to stimulate muscle movement through functional electrical stimulation, providing a means of treatment aimed at improving the long-term quality of life for these individuals.
Currently, a prototype is being developed for functional electrical stimulation therapy, intended for use in treatment centers and physiotherapy settings for individuals facing these motor limitations.
Currently, the existing functional prototype has several limiting factors regarding the development and control of patient treatment evolution, such as:
We aim to develop a portable version of the functional electrical stimulation prototype that communicates with an application through a Bluetooth connection. The prototype will read the surface myoelectric(sEMG) signals from the patient's attempted movement and will perform functional stimulation reactively to the patient.
The application will send the prototype's information to a server that will store the read signal, the generated signal, and relevant information. Additionally, this server will transmit treatment parameters back to the prototype through the reverse path. Therapists will access patient data via a web application, where they can remotely modify treatment parameters and monitor the results.
We will develop and build a system to create an AC simetrical pulse wave which frequency, amplitude and pulse length variable by predetermined parameters. The pulse wave will be sent to a 12V/127V transformer to create the final signal. The generated signal will cause the extension of the patient's muscle when the sensor detects an attempt by the patient to move it in order to reactivate motor nerve functions and stimulate the long-term activation and control of these muscles. Therefore, the device has a therapeutic purpose.
After the prototype is built, we intend to test it by simulating the application of the treatment. The output signal will be applied to resistive loads in the first place in order to go through all the testing phases, assuring the device is ready to be tested in vivo. This last test phase would be finnally conducted by researchers who have already obtained the ethical approval from the ethics board for such purposes.
We intend to build a prototype and simulate the treatment application by using a resistive load to apply the signal in order to go through all testing phases and have the prototype ready to begin In Vivo testing. The In Vivo tests would be conducted later by researchers who have obtained the ethical approval from the ethics board for such purposes.
