Battelle Memorial Institute

Samuel Colachis

David A Friedenberg

Collin F Dunlap

Gaurav Sharma

Douglas E Boyd

Nicholas Annetta

Herbert S Bresler

Po-Hsu Chen

Ian W Baumgart

Eric Meyers

Patrick Ganzer

Michael A Schwemmer

Joshua R Branch

Justin Sanchez

Andrew Sweeney

Bohdan Paselsky

Lauren Wengerd

Richard Brooks

Amanda Noonan

Michael Darrow

Herb S Bresler

Michael Schwemmer

A method of treating spasticity uses a garment worn on a target anatomy so as to arrange electrodes on an inner surface of the garment contacting the skin of the target anatomy. Using an electronic processor, a spasticity treatment cycle is performed. The spasticity treatment cycle is initiated by providing a human-perceptible prompt to initiate a spastic event, or by triggering the spastic event by applying electrical stimulation to at least a portion of the target anatomy using the electrodes. Thereafter, electromyography (EMG) signals are measured from the target anatomy using the electrodes. One or more spasm regions in the target anatomy are identified based on the EMG signals. Targeted treatment of the one or more spasm regions is performed using neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES), or is directed to be performed by displaying a representation of the target anatomy with the one or more spasm regions indicated on the representation.

Spasticity treatment device and method

A functional electrical stimulation (FES) device includes electrodes arranged to apply functional electrical stimulation to a body part of the user. FES stimulation is performed by: receiving values of a set of user metrics for the user; receiving a target position of the body part represented as values for a set of body part position measurements; determining a user-specific energization pattern for producing the target position based on the received target position and the received values of the set of user metrics for the user; and energizing the electrodes of the FES device in accordance with the determined user-specific energization pattern. The determination may utilize an FES calibration database with records having fields containing: values of the set of user metrics for reference users; energization patterns; and values of the set of body part position metrics for positions assumed by the body part in response to applying the energization patterns.

Calibration of electrode-to-muscle mapping for functional electrical stimulation

At least one electrical brain signal is received from a patient and is demultiplexed into an efferent motor intention signal and at least one afferent sensory signal (such as an afferent touch sense signal and/or an afferent proprioception signal). A functional electrical stimulation (FES) device is controlled to apply FES to control a paralyzed portion of the patient that is paralyzed due to a spinal cord injury of the patient. The controlling of the FES device is based on at least the efferent motor intention signal. A demultiplexed afferent touch sense signal may be used to control a haptic device. The afferent sensory signal(s) may be used to adjust the FES control.

Motor function neural control interface for spinal cord injury patients

An activity assistance system includes a video camera arranged to acquire video of a person performing an activity, an output device configured to output human-perceptible prompts, and an electronic processor programmed to execute an activity script. The script comprises a sequence of steps choreographing the activity. The execution of each step includes presenting a prompt via the output device and detecting an event or sequence of events subsequent to the presenting of the prompt. Each event is detected by performing object detection on the video to detect one or more objects depicted in the video and applying one or more object-oriented image analysis functions to detect a spatial or temporal arrangement of one or more of the detected objects. Each event detection triggers an action comprising at least one of presenting a prompt via the output device and and/or going to another step of the activity script.

Activity assistance system

A portable and wearable hand-grasp neuro-orthosis is configured for use in a home environment to restore volitionally controlled grasp functions for a subject with a cervical spinal cord injury (SCI). The neuro-orthosis may include: a wearable sleeve with electrodes; electronics for operating the wearable sleeve to perform functional electrical stimulation (FES) and electromyography (EMG), the electronics configured for mounting on a wheelchair; and a controller configured for mounting on a wheelchair. The controller controls the electronics to read EMG via the sleeve, decode the read EMG to determine an intent of the user, and operate the electronics to apply FES via the sleeve to implement the intent of the user. The neuro-orthosis may restore hand function. The controller may include a display arranged to be viewed by the subject, for example mounted on an articulated arm attached to the wheelchair.

Portable and wearable hand-grasp neuro-orthosis

A device is provided for delivering somatosensation. A garment is wearable on a body part, and includes an array of electrodes in electrical contact with skin of the body part when the garment is worn on the body part. An electronics module is configured to use the array of electrodes of the garment to apply a somatosensation pattern providing guidance in performing a motor action, or providing a pain sensation to the wearer.

Delivery of somatosensation for medical diagnostics or guiding motor action

Aiming assistance is provided for assisting a user in aiming a ranged weapon at a target. The aiming assistance includes receiving telemetry information from one or more sensors, and determining an aim error based on the telemetry information. The aim error indicates of an error between a trajectory of the ranged weapon and an on target trajectory from the ranged weapon to the target. A somatosensation is provided to the user which is indicative of the aim error. This is done by operating haptic devices of a garment worn on an arm or wrist of the user to apply haptic sensation to skin of the arm or wrist. The haptic devices may be electrodes and the applied haptic sensation comprises transcutaneous electrical neurostimulation (TENS), or the haptic devices may be vibrators.

High-definition electrical stimulation for enhanced spatial awareness and target alignment in weapon aiming applications

A therapeutic or diagnostic device comprises a wearable electrodes garment including electrodes disposed to contact skin when the wearable electrodes garment is worn, and an electronic controller operatively connected with the electrodes. The electronic controller is programmed to perform a method including: receiving surface electromyography (EMG) signals via the electrodes and extracting one or more motor unit (MU) action potentials from the surface EMG signals. The method may further include identifying an intended movement based at least on features representing the one or more extracted MU action potentials and delivering functional electrical stimulation (FES) effective to implement the intended movement via the electrodes of the wearable electrodes garment. The method may further include generating a patient performance report based at least on a comparison of features representing the one or more extracted MU action potentials and features representing expected and/or baseline MU action potentials for a known intended movement.

Control of functional electrical stimulation using motor unit action potentials

A communications radio includes an array of electrodes configured to be disposed on a body part, a radio transceiver, an electrical stimulation transmitter, electromyography (EMG) receive circuitry, and a data processing sub-module which configured to perform radio communication. The communication includes, using the electrical stimulation transmitter and the array of electrodes, presenting semantic messages received via the radio transceiver as electrical stimulation patterns. The communication further includes, via the radio transmitter, transmitting semantic messages determined from EMG signals measured using the array of electrodes and the EMG receive circuitry. The communications radio may further include a garment wearable on the body part with the array of electrodes in electrical contact with skin of the body part.

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Columbus, OH, United States of America

Samuel Colachis