Abstract:
The present invention relates to a system (10) for planning and/or providing neurostimulation for a patient, comprising: - a pathological spinal cord map storage module (48) for storing at least one pathological spinal cord map (49) describing the activation of the spinal cord of a patient, - a healthy spinal cord map storage module (50) for storing at least one reference map (51) describing physiological activation of the spinal cord of at least one healthy subject, - an analysis module (42) configured and arranged such that the pathological spinal cord map and the reference map can be compared and/or analyzed automatically such that a deviation map is created, the deviation map describing the difference between the pathological spinal cord map and the reference map, and a compensation module (52) which is configured and arranged to calculate on the basis of the deviation map a neurostimulation protocol for compensating the activation. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for planning and/or providing neurostimulation for a patient.
Abstract:
Beschrieben wird ein System zur Regeneration wenigstens einer durchtrennten Nervenleitung (1) in einem lebenden menschlichen oder tierischen Körper, mit einer Bewegungsvorrichtung (20), mit der ein Körperteil (4) des menschlichen oder tierischen Körpers bewegbar ist, das wenigstens einen mit der durchtrennten Nervenleitung (1) ansonsten innervierbaren Skelettmuskel (S) enthält, mit einer Signalgeneratoreinheit (30), die ein erstes elektrisches Stimulationssignal (31) und ein zweites elektrisches Stimulationssignal (32) erzeugt,sowie mit einer Auswerte- und Steuereinheit (10), die die Bewegungsvorrichtung (20) sowie die Signalgeneratoreinheit (30) derart aufeinander abgestimmt ansteuert, dass die Signalgeneratoreinheit (30) das erste Stimulationssignal (31) über einen ersten Applikator (33) an den vom Skelettmuskel (S) separierten Nervenleitungsteil(2) appliziert und in zeitlicher Koinzidenz dazu die Bewegungsvorrichtung (20) das Körperteil (4) bewegt und dass zeitlich während oder nach der Bewegung des Körperteils (4) die Signalgeneratoreinheit (30) das zweite Stimulationssignal (32) über den ersten (33) oder einen zweiten Applikator (34) an den vom Skelettmuskel (S) separierten Nervenleitungsteil(3) appliziert.
Abstract:
A system (1) for controlling assistive technologies, provided with at least one assistive tool (2), for users suffering from movement and/or communication disorders, is described. Such a system (1) comprises an electronic communication interface (10), at least one biometric sensor (11), a calibration module (12) and a processing unit (13). The electronic communication interface (10) is configured to present the user with a plurality of sensory stimuli associated with commands and/or pieces of information that the user may want to select and/or to provide. The at least one biometric sensor (11) is adapted to be applied to the user to detect at least one biometric activity of the user and to generate a respective biometric electrical signal (SB, SBc, SBr) representative of the biometric activity detected. The calibration module (12) is configured to record, in an initial system calibration step in which the user's biometric activity is a voluntary biometric activity conventionally considered as indicative of the user's will to respectively select a command and/or a piece of information, one or more signal characteristics CS associated with the biometric electrical signal SBc detected in the presence of said at least one voluntary biometric activity. The processing unit (13) is configured to recognize, based on a comparison between the biometric electrical signal detected SBr and the one or more signal characteristics CS recorded, the voluntary biometric activity of the user and the related command and/or piece of information that the user wants to select, upon a sensory stimulus perceived. The processing unit (13) is also configured to provide control signals (SC1, SC2) both to the electronic communication interface (10) and to the assistive tool (2), based on the recognition of the user's will to select. The electronic communication interface (10) is configured to present the sensory stimuli based on the at least one presentation control signal SC1, if present, and to present an automatic and predefined scan of sensory stimuli, in the absence of the presentation control signal SC1.
Abstract:
A method of operating a multi-functional limb movement auxiliary device comprising a plurality of actuators configured to move, upon activation, limb movement auxiliary device members in at least two independent degrees of freedom, a bio-signal sensing unit that is configured to acquire bio-signals indicative of motor activity, a control unit configured to receive and evaluate the acquired bio-signals, and a multi-functional limb movement auxiliary device including a control unit configured for carrying out such method.
Abstract:
At least partial function of a human limb is restored by surgically removing at least a portion of an injured or diseased human limb from a surgical site of an individual and transplanting a selected muscle into the remaining biological body of the individual, followed by contacting the transplanted selected muscle, or an associated nerve, with an electrode, to thereby control a device, such as a prosthetic limb, linked to the electrode. Simulating proprioceptive sensory feedback from a device includes mechanically linking at least one pair of agonist and antagonist muscles, wherein a nerve innervates each muscle, and supporting each pair with a support, whereby contraction of the agonist muscle of each pair will cause extension of the paired antagonist muscle. An electrode is implanted in a muscle of each pair and electrically connected to a motor controller of the device, thereby simulating proprioceptive sensory feedback from the device.
Abstract:
A method for operating a grasping device and grasping devices therefrom are provided. The grasping device is configured to use a plurality of parallel, bi-directional state flow maps each defining a sequence of poses for a plurality of joints in the grasping device. The method include receiving at least one control signal, determining a current pose of the grasping device within the one of the plurality of state flow maps currently selected for the grasping device, and selectively actuating the plurality of joints to traverse the sequence of poses, where a direction for traversing the sequence of poses is based on the at least one control signal.
Abstract:
An orthotic device including a forearm support section configured to be releasably attached to a user's arm, a hand support section configured to be releasably attached to the user's hand, and an adjustable joint coupled to the forearm support section and the hand support section. At least one electromyography sensor is coupled to the forearm support section and positioned to sense activity of muscles in the user's arm, at least one electrode is coupled to the forearm support section and configured to provide electrical stimulation to muscles in the user's arm, and a controller is operatively coupled to the at least one electrode, the controller being configured to deliver electrical stimulation to the at least one electrode.
Abstract:
A method and a system for controlling a prosthesis such as an artificial limb. Electromyographic (EMG) signals are used to generate control signals for one or more prostheses such as artificial limbs. The electromyographic (EMG) signals are received by one or more sets of electrodes dedicated to a source of electromyographic (EMG) signals. By using dedicated electrodes, electromyographic (EMG) signals originating from well-defined sources may be picked up. Consequently, EMG signals stemming from a muscle which would be activated by a human being when this human being would move a part of his body, e.g. a limb or a part of a limb replaced by a prosthesis, may be detected, picked up and used to control the corresponding prosthesis or corresponding part of the prosthesis.
Abstract:
Disclosed is a method for interacting with the nervous system. The method includes detecting signals associated with a biological function at one or more sensors. It also includes processing the signals to create a representation thereof, delivering effector responses based on the representations, and controlling a physical process.