Enhancing Hybrid Exoskeleton Performance With Spatially Distributed Asynchronous Stimulation and Ultrasound Imaging-Based Fatigue Measurements
This paper introduces an innovative approach, Spatially distributed asynchronous stimulation (SDAS), designed to enhance the fatigue resistance of electrically stimulated muscles for mobility assistance in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI), stroke, and multiple sclerosis. The study focuses o...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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IEEE
2025-01-01
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| Series: | IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering |
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| Online Access: | https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/11030739/ |
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| _version_ | 1850094820859576320 |
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| author | Ashwin Iyer Vidisha Ganesh Mayank Singh William Filer Christine Cleveland Nitin Sharma |
| author_facet | Ashwin Iyer Vidisha Ganesh Mayank Singh William Filer Christine Cleveland Nitin Sharma |
| author_sort | Ashwin Iyer |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper introduces an innovative approach, Spatially distributed asynchronous stimulation (SDAS), designed to enhance the fatigue resistance of electrically stimulated muscles for mobility assistance in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI), stroke, and multiple sclerosis. The study focuses on modulating stimulation intensity in multiple distributed electrodes through a phenomenological model of SDAS to increase muscle power output. A model predictive control (MPC) approach is used to design optimal SDAS intensity profiles for knee extension tracking. The study also establishes a strong correlation between Ultrasound (US)-derived strain measurements of the quadriceps muscle and the model’s fatigue parameter. The model is extended to predict non-isometric knee extension and integrated with US-derived feedback from the quadriceps muscle to control stepping with the hybrid exoskeleton. The results demonstrate that the optimized SDAS inputs and US-derived fatigue measurements of spatially separated muscle regions during SDAS can effectively delay fatigue and increase muscle power output. This study underscores the importance of a model-based closed-loop SDAS approach and the integration of US-derived feedback in the design of a novel fatigue-resistant SDAS-based gait assistance technology. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-24f34b31fe514aa0832bd720f1a4e70e |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1534-4320 1558-0210 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | IEEE |
| record_format | Article |
| series | IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering |
| spelling | doaj-art-24f34b31fe514aa0832bd720f1a4e70e2025-08-20T02:41:34ZengIEEEIEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering1534-43201558-02102025-01-01332542255510.1109/TNSRE.2025.357877611030739Enhancing Hybrid Exoskeleton Performance With Spatially Distributed Asynchronous Stimulation and Ultrasound Imaging-Based Fatigue MeasurementsAshwin Iyer0Vidisha Ganesh1https://orcid.org/0009-0006-9386-0668Mayank Singh2https://orcid.org/0009-0001-4163-9041William Filer3https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2671-6819Christine Cleveland4Nitin Sharma5https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1872-0156Delsys Inc., Natick, MA, USALampe Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USADepartment of Electrical and Computer Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USADepartment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USADepartment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USALampe Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USAThis paper introduces an innovative approach, Spatially distributed asynchronous stimulation (SDAS), designed to enhance the fatigue resistance of electrically stimulated muscles for mobility assistance in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI), stroke, and multiple sclerosis. The study focuses on modulating stimulation intensity in multiple distributed electrodes through a phenomenological model of SDAS to increase muscle power output. A model predictive control (MPC) approach is used to design optimal SDAS intensity profiles for knee extension tracking. The study also establishes a strong correlation between Ultrasound (US)-derived strain measurements of the quadriceps muscle and the model’s fatigue parameter. The model is extended to predict non-isometric knee extension and integrated with US-derived feedback from the quadriceps muscle to control stepping with the hybrid exoskeleton. The results demonstrate that the optimized SDAS inputs and US-derived fatigue measurements of spatially separated muscle regions during SDAS can effectively delay fatigue and increase muscle power output. This study underscores the importance of a model-based closed-loop SDAS approach and the integration of US-derived feedback in the design of a novel fatigue-resistant SDAS-based gait assistance technology.https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/11030739/Neuromuscular stimulationassistive technologiesneurorehabilitationexoskeletonselectrical stimulationultrasonic imaging |
| spellingShingle | Ashwin Iyer Vidisha Ganesh Mayank Singh William Filer Christine Cleveland Nitin Sharma Enhancing Hybrid Exoskeleton Performance With Spatially Distributed Asynchronous Stimulation and Ultrasound Imaging-Based Fatigue Measurements IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering Neuromuscular stimulation assistive technologies neurorehabilitation exoskeletons electrical stimulation ultrasonic imaging |
| title | Enhancing Hybrid Exoskeleton Performance With Spatially Distributed Asynchronous Stimulation and Ultrasound Imaging-Based Fatigue Measurements |
| title_full | Enhancing Hybrid Exoskeleton Performance With Spatially Distributed Asynchronous Stimulation and Ultrasound Imaging-Based Fatigue Measurements |
| title_fullStr | Enhancing Hybrid Exoskeleton Performance With Spatially Distributed Asynchronous Stimulation and Ultrasound Imaging-Based Fatigue Measurements |
| title_full_unstemmed | Enhancing Hybrid Exoskeleton Performance With Spatially Distributed Asynchronous Stimulation and Ultrasound Imaging-Based Fatigue Measurements |
| title_short | Enhancing Hybrid Exoskeleton Performance With Spatially Distributed Asynchronous Stimulation and Ultrasound Imaging-Based Fatigue Measurements |
| title_sort | enhancing hybrid exoskeleton performance with spatially distributed asynchronous stimulation and ultrasound imaging based fatigue measurements |
| topic | Neuromuscular stimulation assistive technologies neurorehabilitation exoskeletons electrical stimulation ultrasonic imaging |
| url | https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/11030739/ |
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