FESleeve: A functional electrical stimulation system with multi-electrode array for finger motion control

Abstract

Functional electrical stimulation (FES) is frequently used for recovering upper limb functions in patients with central nervous system lesions. However, some typical problems exist such as comfort, selectivity, fatigue and convenience when applying this technology. Targeting these problems, we developed a functional electrical stimulation system with multi-electrode array, called FESleeve, for finger motion control. With smaller size in electrode design, the system was capable of targeting and stimulating muscles related with specific finger movements more precisely, meanwhile improving selectivity. For easy use, the overall system was designed to be sleeve-shape and can be easily fixed on the forearm. Special stimulation configuration was designed to alleviate sting feelings and muscle fatigue. Experiments were conducted on 4 healthy subjects and 3 stroke patients with upper limb deficits. Results show that the system was able to induce desirable finger movements, such as single finger flexing and finger bending. No negative effects of the system were found in the experiments.