Download Brain Muscle Interface

BRAIN MUSCLE INTERFACE - AN EEG FED FUNCTIONAL ELECTRICAL STIMULATION
SYSTEM
Background:
Neurological disorders may involve the Central Nervous System or the Peripheral Nervous System, both
of which can involve sensory and/or motor loss. Motor loss means impairment in motor function such as
contraction of muscles and movement of the limbs leading to significant Functional disability.
Impairments of the Peripheral Nervous System involves Nerves whereas Central Nervous System
involves Brain and Spinal Cord. A stroke is defined as a medical emergency in which blood flow to the
brain is compromised and within minutes, brain cells begin to die. There are two kinds of stroke. The
more common kind, called ischemic stroke, is caused by a blood clot that blocks or plugs a blood vessel
in the brain. The other kind, called hemorrhagic stroke, is caused by a blood vessel that breaks and
bleeds into the brain. A spinal cord injury (SCI) on the other hand is damage to the spinal cord that
causes changes in its function, either temporary or permanent. These changes translate into loss of
muscle function, sensation, or autonomic function in parts of the body served by the spinal cord below
the level of the lesion. Injuries can occur at any level of the spinal cord and can be classified as complete
injury, a total loss of sensation and muscle function, or incomplete, meaning some nervous signals are
able to travel past the injured area of the cord. Depending on the location and severity of damage along
the spinal cord, the symptoms can vary widely, from pain or numbness to paralysis to incontinence. The
prognosis also ranges widely, from full recovery in rare cases to permanent tetraplegia (also called
quadriplegia) in injuries at the level of the neck, and paraplegia in lower injuries. Complications that can
occur in the short and long term after injury include muscle atrophy, pressure sores, infections, and
respiratory problems.
How BMI works?
In any kind of Neurological injury or disorder, muscle paralysis is a very important impairment which
needs to be addressed. The current project is based on the concepts of Mental Imagery, Brain Computer
Interface (BCI) and Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES). The current project consists of an input unit
which consists of an EEG device. The patients is asked to imagine a movement which he wishes to
perform (known as Mental Imagery), which is recorded as a specific waveform for example for the
flexion of a wrist. Similarly another movement is recorded as an opposite movement for example
extension of the wrist. These two waveforms are coded as commands and fed to a system which then
transforms it into an output signal. This output signal is than fed to an EMS
(Electronic Muscle Stimulator) which feeds the output to muscles, and a person’s muscle contracts just
by imagining the movement i.e. by creating a mental image.
Application and Usage:
The application of this equipment is many fold. It can be used as a bio feedback tool for Mental Imagery
Training in rehabilitation of Neuro-Muscular disorders leading to weakness and paralysis of muscles.
Another use of this equipment is in the development of Neuro-prosthesis for disabled persons following
a neurological injury or insult. Yet another application of this system is in the activation of paralyzed
muscles and motor pattern training and abnormal synergy prevention in Post-Stroke rehabilitation.
Here is the link to the demo Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N45R-yJ4GpU&t=3s