Functional Electrical Stimulation Based on Interference- Driven PWM Signals for Neuro-Rehabilitation

Disorders of the nervous system can cause paraplegia, which prevents human mobility and decreases quality of life. A major therapeutic goal is to recover motor and sensory function in individuals who have sensory or motor impairments, due to an accident or illness, and to provide support for the performance of daily life activities. For this purpose, the authors developed a multi-functional system based on interference-driven electrical stimulation that can promote the recovery of sensory-motor functions. The interference-driven electrical stimulation method was developed using a mixed stimulation signal with a carrier wave at a frequency that has been shown to stimulate human muscle. The parameters of electrical stimulation were optimized using a grasp/open hand task and a flexion/extension foot task based on the brain activity following electrical stimulation. This chapter reports the experimental results of the effects of electrical stimulation on motor function and brain activity in partially paralyzed stroke patients during the three phases of stroke symptoms. Masafumi Kubota University of Fukui Hospital, Japan DOI: 10.4018/978-1-4666-2196-1.ch019