FES-UPP: A Flexible Functional Electrical Stimulation System to Support Upper Limb Functional Activity Practice.
Mingxu Sun1, Christine Smith2, David Howard1,3
1Centre for Health Sciences Research, University of Salford, Salford, United Kingdom.
Frontiers in Neuroscience
|July 21, 2018
Summary
A new flexible Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) system, FES-UPP, enables therapists to efficiently deliver intensive upper limb therapy for stroke recovery. This system allows tailored FES-supported activities without requiring engineering support, showing promising results compared to traditional therapy.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Rehabilitation Engineering
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Intensive, repetitive, voluntary-initiated practice is crucial for upper limb functional recovery post-stroke.
- Current Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) devices often lack flexibility and automation, necessitating engineering support.
- There is a need for user-friendly FES systems to deliver effective, activity-focused rehabilitation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce and evaluate a novel, flexible upper limb FES system (FES-UPP) designed for efficient and adaptable stroke rehabilitation.
- To assess the system's usability by therapists with varying FES experience and no programming skills.
- To compare the efficiency of FES-UPP therapy delivery with traditional rehabilitation methods.
Main Methods:
- Development of the FES-UPP system, including a 5-channel stimulator with a flexible Finite State Machine (FSM) controller, setup software, and a Session Manager.
- Therapists utilized the FES-UPP system to configure FES-supported activities for patients with upper limb impairments.
- Clinical investigation involving nine therapists and twenty-two patients, with participants undergoing up to eight FES-supported therapy sessions.
Main Results:
- Therapists with minimal FES or programming experience successfully set up bespoke FES controllers in clinical settings without engineering assistance.
- The FES-UPP system facilitated the delivery of high-intensity, activity-focused therapy tailored to individual patient needs.
- Efficiency of therapy delivery using FES-UPP showed promising outcomes compared to published data on traditional face-to-face therapy.
Conclusions:
- The FES-UPP system empowers therapists to create customized FES rehabilitation protocols for stroke survivors, enhancing accessibility and reducing reliance on technical expertise.
- The system demonstrates potential for efficient delivery of intensive, activity-based upper limb therapy, contributing to improved functional recovery.
- Further optimization is needed to reduce the setup time for the FES-UPP system to maximize its clinical utility.
Keywords:
finite state machine controlfunctional electrical stimulationrehabilitationstrokeupper limbMore Related Videos
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