- Author : Dean Charles
- Publisher :
- Release : 1981
- ISBN :
- Pages : 0 pages
Advances in Neural and Electromyographic Recording Techniques and Applications to Powered Prostheses
Download or read book Advances in Neural and Electromyographic Recording Techniques and Applications to Powered Prostheses written by Dean Charles and published by . This book was released on 1981 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: New types of implantable electrode arrays are described which may be allowed to remain in living animal tissue over an extended period of time and which provide useful clinical and experimental information without causing inflammation, infection or rejection. The devices and methods described differ from classical electrophysiological recording techniques in that they provide long term stable behavioural recordings in freely moving unanaesthetized subjects. Besides providing an opportunity to obtain data useful for basic research, these devices provide a potential interface for obtaining signals for the control of powered artificial limbs and a means for transmitting sensory or positional feedback to the person wearing the artificial limb. Different types of electrode arrays are described both in construction and in implementation, including the earlier regeneration electrode unit, and the more recent cuff electrode units. The results of testing these cuff electrodes in mammals and eventually testing a single unit in a human amputee are described. The author's primary contributions to this area of the research have been in a technical capacity, and the contributions made by individual members of the group will be described in the body of the thesis. The applicability of different recording techniques and different types and configurations of electrode arrays are compared and evaluated with respect to basic research data collection as well as potential and realized prosthetic use. More than one cuff electrode assembly may be used at the same time in a single human or laboratory subject, and more than one type of electrode assembly may be used as well. Individual or collective elements of any given electrode array may be used for either recording or stimulating, or stimulating may be done via one electrode array while recording is done from another. Thus one system may be used to apply stimulation in one selected area of the nervous system, while yet another device is used to monitor patterns of activity in a different or related area of the nervous system. The usefulness of the devices and techniques described is thus documented with respect to setting up controlled situations of stimulating and recording the activity of the peripheral nervous system, particularly with respect to investigating posture and locomotion. The devices and procedures are described as developed in more or less chronological order with the earlier devices developed discussed first, and with the more recent cuff electrodes discussed later. Reasons for the earlier methods are given, as well as reasons why mammalian research has focussed more recently on the cuff electrode assembly. Experience has been gained with the clinical requirements of amputees, and with problems that may be encountered in future implantation procedures when applying the devices and methods described to the control of artificial limbs on a larger number of amputees. Since the primary thrust of the research is directed towards exploring improved methods for the control of artificial limbs rather than the design or construction of such limbs, a brief review of the most practical components commercially available for the construction of powered prostheses is given. Successful fittings and unsuccessful fittings are described, and some of the reasons influencing the outcome when using powered prostheses are given. Clinical implementation of successful modular techniques are discussed in some detail.