Measurements of Wearable Noninvasive Transducers for Rehabilitation of Movement Disorders

Abstract—In this paper we present analyses and measurements on wearable noninvasive transducers for rehabilitation of movement disorders. Stimulation devices are widely used in medical field as solution to restore movement and the ability to perform activities of daily living in patient with movement disorders. In this context several solutions have been proposed in literature regarding neuromuscular stimulations, transcutaneous excitations, and functional signals, very often based on invasive approaches. The device here studied is a noninvasive solution composed of two portable systems (i.e. to be fixed in both the limbs), with an electromechanical actuator and a wireless circuit to synchronize the two systems for a specific rehabilitation procedure. The analyses conducted arouse interest from a neurological point of view in the perspective to study the effect of various stimulations in the rehabilitation of patients with movement disorders. For these reasons, the paper covers the aspects of the stimulation used for rehabilitation and functional purposes. The study regarded different parameters including frequency, pulse width/duration, waveforms, intensity/amplitude, pulse pattern. The measurement method and the characterization of the induced stimulations will be here presented demonstrating the capabilities of the proposed solution