FEASIBILITY TESTING OF AN INTRAORAL CONTROLLER PROTOTYPE

WHEN HIGH-LEVEL SPINAL CORD-INJURED INDIVIDUALS LOSE THE ABILITY TO CONTROL THEIR UPPER EXTREMITIES, THEY ARE LEFT WITH NO WAY TO PERFORM THE ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING. FUNCTIONAL ELECTRICAL STIMULATION OF THE MUSCLES OF THE UPPER EXTREMITY AND HAND IS CURRENTLY BEING INVESTIGATED AS A MEANS OF ALLOWING THE HIGH QUADRIPLEGIC TO REGAIN THE USE OF THE UPPER EXTREMITY. THIS PROJECT WILL TEST THE FEASIBILITY OF AN INTRAORAL CONTROLLER PROTOTYPE BUILT ON A PALATAL SPLINT FOR CONTROL OF FUNCTIONAL ELECTRICAL STIMULATION OF THE MUSCLES OF THE UPPER EXTREMITY AND HAND. AS THE TONGUE IS MOVED AND CONTRACTED WITH DIFFERENT INTENSITIES, A VARYING ELECTROMAGNETIC SIGNAL IS PRODUCED WITHIN THE ORAL CAVITY. THIS SIGNAL IS MEASURED BY METALLIC SENSORS MOUNTED ON THE PALATAL SPLINT, AND A TWO-DIMENSIONAL VECTOR IS GENERATED. TWO JAW-OPERATED MICROSWITCHES PROVIDE CONTROL SIGNALS TO OPERATE THE CONTROLLER DEVICE AND PROVIDE OUTSIDE COMMUNICATION SIGNALS.