A Study on Muscle-Torque Model Based Tremor Suppression System Using Functional Electrical Stimulation

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K13915
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Intelligent mechanics/Mechanical systems
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: Kiguchi Kazuo 九州大学, 工学研究院, 教授 (90269548)
• Research Collaborator: TAMURA Kaori
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 振戦抑制 / 機能的電気刺激

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Tremor is human vibration phenomenon such as hand vibration which is generated involuntary. Mechanical systems such as vibration absorber or robotic systems have been proposed to suppress the tremor up to the present. In this study, in order to suppress the tremor using user’s own muscles without wearing external actuators or mechanical systems, a study on tremor suppression in which tremor is canceled by adding functional electrical stimulation (FES) to certain related muscles of the user was carried out. The inverse model of the muscle-torque relationship is used to estimate the certain related muscles and their required activity levels. The tremor suppression method in which the stimulation frequency (i.e., one of the parameters of the FES) is controlled in real-time in online manner to cancel the tremor was proposed in this study.

Free Research Field

知能機械学