Measuring Torque Production with a Robotic Exoskeleton during Cervical Transcutaneous Spinal Stimulation

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Robotics
• Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

• Spinal cord injury (SCI) impacts many individuals, limiting traditional neurorehabilitation options for those with severe motor deficits.
• Current therapies exclude patients with limited motor function, necessitating innovative approaches for broader participation.
• Combining transcutaneous spinal stimulation (TSS) with robotics offers a potential solution to enhance upper limb movement during SCI rehabilitation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the individual contributions of TSS and robotics in eliciting upper limb movements post-SCI.
• To explore the use of robotic sensors as an alternative to electromyography for assessing TSS responses.
• To investigate the feasibility of using robot-derived data to guide combined TSS and robotic interventions.

Main Methods:

• Utilized an exoskeleton robot to assess upper limb movements.
• Measured the holding torque required by the robot to maintain a neutral arm position.
• Investigated the impact of electrode placement during transcutaneous spinal stimulation (TSS).

Main Results:

• Demonstrated that cutaneous TSS effects can be detected by measuring the exoskeleton's holding torque.
• Showed that stimulation electrode location influences the resultant upper limb actions.
• Established a novel method for assessing TSS efficacy using robotic sensor data.

Conclusions:

• Robotic sensors provide a viable method for assessing the impact of TSS on upper limb movement in SCI.
• The findings support the integration of robotic measurements into combined TSS and robotic rehabilitation strategies.
• Future applications include using robot-guided feedback to optimize TSS and robotic therapy for SCI patients.