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An objective method for selecting command sources for myoelectrically triggered lower-limb neuroprostheses.

Anirban Dutta¹, Rudi Kobetic, Ronald J Triolo

¹Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Motion Study Laboratory, Cleveland, OH, USA. adutta@ieee.org

Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development

|November 10, 2011

Summary

Selecting surface electromyogram (EMG) command sources for functional electrical stimulation (FES) can improve walking in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). The Discriminability Index objectively identifies optimal EMG signals for triggering FES-assisted ambulation.

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Area of Science:

Biomedical Engineering
Neuroscience
Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

Functional electrical stimulation (FES) is crucial for restoring ambulatory function in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI).
Selecting reliable command sources for FES triggering, particularly from surface electromyogram (EMG) signals in partially paralyzed muscles, presents challenges due to high intersubject variability.
Objective methods are needed to identify optimal EMG command sources for FES-assisted walking.

Purpose of the Study:

To identify an objective process for selecting surface EMG command sources to trigger FES for ambulation in individuals with incomplete SCI.
To evaluate the effectiveness of the Discriminability Index (DI) in assessing the potential of different EMG signals as command sources.

Main Methods:

The study involved four nondisabled volunteers and two participants with incomplete SCI.
Surface EMG signals were recorded from various muscles.
The Discriminability Index (DI) was used to quantify the potential of EMG signals from muscles like the erector spinae (ES) and medial gastrocnemius for triggering FES.

Main Results:

The Discriminability Index (DI) proved effective in evaluating EMG command source potential for FES-assisted ambulation.
For participant 1, the left erector spinae (ES) (mean DI = 0.87) and right ES (mean DI = 0.83) were optimal for left and right step triggering, respectively.
For participant 2, the left ES (mean DI = 0.93) and right medial gastrocnemius (mean DI = 0.88) were optimal for left and right step triggering, respectively.

Conclusions:

An objective method using the Discriminability Index (DI) can successfully select surface EMG command sources for FES-triggered walking.
This selection process can be implemented prior to the development of fully implantable EMG-triggered FES systems.
The findings facilitate the advancement of FES technology for improving mobility in individuals with SCI.