LIMB POSITION MONITORING

FUNCTIONAL NEUROMUSCULAR STIMULATION IS A NEW METHOD OF ASSISTING PARAPLEGIC PATIENTS IN LEADING PRODUCTIVE LIVES. WITH THIS TECHNIQUE, ELECTRICAL STIMULATING ELECTRODES ARE PLACED OVER THE PERIPHERAL NERVES THAT INNERVATE SPECIFIC MUSCLE GROUPS IN THE LOWER LIMBS. WHEN THE NERVES ARE STIMULATED IN THE PROPER SEQUENCE, PATIENTS CAN EXHIBIT WALKING MOTIONS. IN REAL-LIFE SITUATIONS, MOVEMENT REQUIRESTHAT THE WALKING MOTION ADAPT TO CHANGES EXTERNALLY IN THE LOAD OR INTERNALLY IN THE MUSCLE FORCE, NECESSITATING A REAL-TIME FEEDBACK OF POSITION INFORMATION. THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO DESIGN A LOW-COST, ACCURATE TRANSDUCER MECHANISM FOR SENSING LOWER LIMB POSITION, NOT ONLY AT THE KNEE BUT ALSO AT OTHER CRITICAL AREAS SUCH AS THE HIP, ANKLE, AND FOOT, HENCE POSSIBLY ELIMINATING THE NEED FOR ANKLE BRACES. A MECHANICAL MODEL OF LIMB POSITION MOVEMENT WILL BE CONSTRUCTED TO HELP IN THE DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE POSITION-SENSING SYSTEM, AND TWO DIFFERENT STRATEGIES WILL BE TESTED TO DETERMINE WHICH MOST ADEQUATELY MONITORS LIMB MOVEMENT SIMULTANEOUSLY AT SEVERAL POINTS ON THE BODY SURFACE. THE SENSORS FOR LIMB POSITION WILL BE MOUNTED IN A COSMETICALLY PLEASING MANNER SO THEY WILL NOT BE VISIBLE TO A CASUAL OBSERVER. THE DEVICE WILL OUTPUT POSITION, VELOCITY, AND ACCELERATION INFORMATION FOR USE BY THE FUNCTIONAL NEUROMUSCULAR STIMULATION HARDWARE.