Selection of an Optimal Muscle Set for a Standing Neuroprosthesis Using a Human Musculoskeletal Model

Abstract

The goal of this study was to determine an optimal set of muscles to electrically stimulate for a standing neuroprosthesis for persons with paraplegia due to spinal cord injury. A fifteen degree of freedom musculoskeletal model of the human lower extremities was used to select additional muscles beyond those used in the existing 8 channel system developed by our group. We found that adding the gluteus medius and the adductor magnus at the hip and several different combinations of ankle muscles should stabilize users in a standing position and allow them to perform manual tasks with at least one arm while standing.