A microcontroller platform for the rapid prototyping of functional electrical stimulation-based gait neuroprostheses

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Neuroprosthetics
• Rehabilitation Technology

Background:

• Functional electrical stimulation (FES) is crucial for motor function rehabilitation in conditions like spinal cord injury and stroke.
• Existing FES systems are often expensive and not portable, or require advanced electronics skills for custom development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a flexible, low-cost, microcontroller-based platform for rapid prototyping of FES neuroprostheses.
• To reduce complexity, development time, and cost in creating portable FES solutions.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Arduino open-source platform and off-the-shelf components.
• Designed a modular architecture for adaptability to various FES applications.
• Focused development and testing on drop foot correction algorithms.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated a flexible platform enabling both open-loop and closed-loop FES control strategies.
• Successfully tested two algorithms for drop foot correction in different experimental setups.
• Bench testing in healthy subjects confirmed the platform's capability to correct drop foot.

Conclusions:

• The developed platform offers a cost-effective and accessible solution for rapid FES neuroprosthesis prototyping.
• This system supports the development of portable, adaptable FES gait neuroprostheses.
• The platform shows significant potential for drop foot correction and other FES applications.