The development of a computerized upper limb electrical stimulation system

The conceptual design of a total system for computerized electrical stimulation of the upper limb has been developed. Details of the voice input command system and of the control system are presented; the former is designed for simplicity of use by the operator, while the latter, based on the hierarchial arrangement of the human motor control system, relieves the operator of the need to input all but the most simple of guidance commands. State of the art design of feedback sensors is discussed. Ongoing research on the biomechanics of the forearm muscles is reported: their direction of isometric moment generation, the controllability of five forearm muscles in generating moving isometric moment vectors at the two-degree-of-freedom wrist joint in closed loop with a digital microcomputer, and their fatigue properties under electrical stimulation.