NEC Seminar: Friday, April 11, 9 am:
Presenter: Matthew Morrison
Advisor: Musa Adu
Title: Exploring Feedback Control of Trunk Musculature in the Networked Neuroprosthesis System
Abstract: Spinal cord injuries (SCIs) account for approximately 27.3% of injury and disease cases resulting in paralysis in the United States, equating to a weighted population of nearly 1.5 million people. Of these individuals, 70-80% are wheelchair-dependent and consider trunk control to be a high priority for recovery due to its importance in the realization of many seated activities of daily living (ADLs). Feedback control of functional neuromuscular stimulation (FNS) is a promising solution for improving trunk control in the seated position. Previous work has primarily focused on using tilt estimates derived from externally placed inertial measurement units (IMUs) as feedback signals for controlling stimulation to paralyzed trunk muscles. Recent advancements in the processing of sensor signals from the modules of the Network Neuroprosthesis (NNP) allow for IMU data collection from implanted sensors for this purpose. In this talk, I will discuss some preliminary work done to assess the feasibility of stimulation control for activating trunk muscles using tilt estimates derived from implanted NNP sensors. Preliminary experimental results suggest that such tilt estimates may be robust enough for controlling stimulation. Motivated by these findings, future research with this system should focus on the improved versatility of feedback controllers to enable NNP recipients to regularly use their devices to assist with trunk stability during ADLs performed outside of the laboratory setting.