Electrical stimulation system based on multi-mode perception feedback
Technical Field
The invention relates to the technical field of medical rehabilitation instruments, in particular to an electrical stimulation system based on multi-mode perception feedback.
Background
The development of prosthetic hands has been known for many years, but the fitting rate of prosthetic hands has not been effectively improved. At present, most amputees wearing the artificial limb hands are decorative artificial limb hands with attractive use, and for improving the utilization rate of practical artificial limb hands, the scientific community and the business community always put a great deal of attention on the development of next-generation artificial limbs, hopefully, the defects of the traditional artificial limb hands can be improved, the practicability is increased, and the acceptance of the amputees on the artificial limb hands is improved.
The patent with publication number CN105640677 (the name of the patent is: an electrical stimulation perception feedback system for artificial limb hand perception feedback, inventor: lanning, small Liu) proposes a solution that various skin sensations can be generated at the end of the stump of amputee by percutaneous electrical stimulation, and an evoked touch sensation of single sensory input is established; and a set of real-time electrical stimulation system for amputees to use and feed back single sensation through the pressure sensor is established.
However, the prior art solutions have the disadvantages that:
(1) the existing non-invasive sensing feedback can not achieve the sensing feedback with different proportional degrees, can only achieve the judgment of existence or nonexistence, and can not judge the strength of the sensing.
(2) The existing non-invasive sensing feedback can only receive pressure signals, the feedback mode is single, and other types of signal input ports and multi-mode signal processing modes are not available.
(3) The existing artificial hand has no pain sense or warning feedback, and cannot realize a human body protection mechanism established based on skin pain sense.
(4) The prior art systems do not allow for amputees who have induced dysesthesia with no or only partial 5-finger induced dysesthesia at the amputation stump.
(5) The existing perception feedback electrical stimulation system can not realize the real-time signal conversion of multiple channels and real-time variable electrical stimulation output in the aspect of system design.
(6) The existing temperature and humidity sensor detection method has low efficiency of detecting the change temperature, for example, the change rate of the temperature sensor is 1-2 ℃, and the requirement of bionic sensing feedback cannot be met. If the temperature is changed from 10-40 ℃ to 80 ℃, the time required by detection is far longer than the reaction time of the human body to the abnormal temperature.
Therefore, those skilled in the art are dedicated to develop an electrical stimulation system based on multi-modal sensory feedback, and a set of multi-modal non-invasive sensory feedback system which can be used by an amputee is established by distinguishing six electrical stimulation sensory modes, improving the architecture and the efficiency of the system and combining multi-modal senses corresponding to various sensors.
Disclosure of Invention
In view of the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art, the technical problems to be solved by the present invention include the following aspects:
(1) how to establish perception feedback close to natural feeling and multi-modal feeling modes, and simultaneously, the perception feedback is divided into strong and weak grades.
(2) How to utilize perception feedback system to remind the wearer to improve the grip and avoid the object to slide off, avoid the damage of artificial limb hand because of too moist or high temperature, how to give slight sense of pain warning when the amputee touches dangerous environment.
(3) Aiming at amputees with incomplete finger induction areas or missing finger induction areas, how to utilize multiple sensation modes generated by percutaneous electrical stimulation is to ensure that the percutaneous electrical stimulation at different positions corresponds to the sensation of different fingers, and different sensation modes correspond to different strong and weak sensation modes of artificial hands to generate finger-to-finger alternative sensation.
(4) How to implement multiple independently controlled perceptual feedback channels.
(5) The method for judging the dangerous temperature/humidity is adopted, and coding is carried out in the perception feedback according to the method, so that the prosthetic hand leaves the dangerous temperature and humidity environment within 1 s.
In order to achieve the aim, the invention provides an electrical stimulation system based on multi-mode perception feedback, which comprises a sensor module, a digital signal processing module, a serial port transmission module and an electrical stimulation module, wherein the sensor module is used for receiving a multi-mode sensing feedback signal; the sensor module is arranged on a prosthetic hand, the digital signal processing module is connected with the sensor module, receives various collected sensor signals, generates different electrical stimulation waveform codes through a multi-modal perception feedback-based percutaneous electrical stimulation coding mode, and then transmits corresponding electrical stimulation signals to the electrical stimulation module through the serial port transmission module so as to carry out real-time percutaneous electrical stimulation on a finger-feeling area or a substitute-feeling area induced by an amputee, thereby forming six different feelings of touch, press, humming, vibration, numbness and pain.
Further, the sensor module includes a pressure sensor, a shear slip sensor, a temperature sensor, and a humidity sensor.
Furthermore, after the pressure signal acquired by the pressure sensor is processed by the digital signal processing module, a corresponding touch sensation or press sensation electrical stimulation waveform coding signal is generated according to the magnitude of the pressure signal.
Furthermore, after the shear slip signal acquired by the shear slip sensor is processed by the digital signal processing module, a corresponding humming feeling or vibration feeling electrical stimulation waveform coding signal is generated according to the magnitude of the shear slip signal.
Furthermore, after the temperature and humidity signals acquired by the humidity sensor and the temperature sensor are processed by the digital signal processing module, corresponding numb sensation or pain sensation electrical stimulation waveform coding signals are generated according to the sizes of the temperature and humidity signals.
Further, the number of the electric stimulation modules is 6, and the electric stimulation modules are respectively arranged in the induced finger feeling areas and any skin positions corresponding to the thumb, the index finger, the middle finger, the ring finger and the little finger of the amputee.
Further, the electrical stimulation module comprises an electrical stimulator and a surface patch electrode.
Further, the digital processing module comprises a DSP digital processor.
Furthermore, the serial port transmission module comprises five finger signal transmission channels and an arbitrary position signal transmission channel; the five finger signal transmission channels are respectively connected with the electrical stimulation modules arranged on the induced finger feeling areas corresponding to the five fingers and used for transmitting the electrical stimulation waveform coding signals representing different feelings; the arbitrary position signal transmission channel is connected with the electrical stimulation module arranged on an arbitrary skin position and transmits the electrical stimulation waveform coding signals representing different sensations.
Furthermore, specific contents of the percutaneous electrical stimulation coding mode based on the multi-modal perception feedback include that different sensory intervals are established through the intensity of current for amputees with less sensitive electrical stimulation pulse width, the current with equal ratio is adjusted under the skin tolerance of the amputees with fixed current output frequency and pulse width, and 6 different sensory intervals corresponding to touch, press, humming, vibration, numbness and pain are searched under the current intensity of 1mA to 20 mA; for amputees with less sensitive electro-stimulation current intensity, different sensory intervals are established through the magnitude of the electro-stimulation pulse width, the magnitude of the electro-stimulation pulse width with equal proportion is adjusted under the skin tolerance of the amputees with fixed current output frequency and current intensity, and 6 different sensory intervals corresponding to touch, press, humming, vibration, numbness and pain are searched under the electro-stimulation pulse width of 50uS to 500 uS.
Compared with the prior art, the invention has the beneficial technical effects that:
(1) the invention relates to a multi-mode perception feedback electrical stimulation system designed based on an amputee induced finger feeling area, which combines electrical stimulation and the application of the induced finger feeling area, can give real natural feeling to a user, greatly reduces the training process of using alternative feeling, and improves the finger-to-finger feeling recognition rate.
(2) The touch, pressing, buzzing, vibration, numbness and pain senses identified on the finger-sensing area can be applied to the control of the artificial hand, and the pressure and shear slippage sense feedback is given, so that more diversified and convenient choices are provided for the control of the artificial hand in the future.
(3) The concept of bionic human skin is used to establish sensory feedback of pain sensation, and the sensing of temperature and humidity is combined, so that the artificial limb can give feedback urgently when touching a high-temperature or humid environment, and the damage of the artificial limb hand is avoided.
The conception, the specific structure and the technical effects of the present invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings to fully understand the objects, the features and the effects of the present invention.
Drawings
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the system components of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an application of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a signal processing flow diagram of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a diagram of a multi-modal input versus sensor relationship in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
The system comprises a sensor module 1, a digital signal processing module 2, a serial port transmission module 3, an electrical stimulation module 4, a pressure sensor 101, a shear slip sensor 102, a temperature sensor 103, a humidity sensor 104, a finger signal transmission channel 301, an arbitrary position signal transmission channel 302, an electrical stimulator 401 and a surface patch electrode 402.
Detailed Description
The technical contents of the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be more clearly and easily understood by referring to the drawings attached to the specification. The present invention may be embodied in many different forms of embodiments and the scope of the invention is not limited to the embodiments set forth herein.
In the drawings, structurally identical elements are represented by like reference numerals, and structurally or functionally similar elements are represented by like reference numerals throughout the several views. The size and thickness of each component shown in the drawings are arbitrarily illustrated, and the present invention is not limited to the size and thickness of each component. The thickness of the components may be exaggerated where appropriate in the figures to improve clarity.
As shown in fig. 1, the electrical stimulation system based on multi-modal sensing feedback provided by the invention comprises a sensor module 1, a digital signal processing module 2, a serial port transmission module 3 and an electrical stimulation module 4. The sensor module 1 comprises, among other things, a pressure sensor 101, a shear slip sensor 102, a temperature sensor 103 and a humidity sensor 104. The digital processing module 2 comprises a DSP digital processor. The serial port transmission module 3 comprises five finger signal transmission channels 301 and an arbitrary position signal transmission channel 302. The electrostimulation module 4 includes an electrostimulator 401 and a surface patch electrode 402.
The sensor module 1 is arranged on a prosthetic hand, the digital signal processing module 2 is connected with the sensor module 1 through a connecting wire, receives various collected sensor signals, generates different electrical stimulation waveform codes through a multi-modal perception feedback-based percutaneous electrical stimulation coding mode, and then transmits corresponding electrical stimulation signals to the electrical stimulation module 4 through the serial port transmission module 3 so as to perform real-time percutaneous electrical stimulation on an amputee induced finger feeling area or an alternative feeling area to form six different feelings of touch, press, humming, vibration, numbness and pain.
After the pressure signal collected by the pressure sensor 101 is processed by the digital signal processing module 2, a corresponding touch sensation or press sensation electrical stimulation waveform coding signal is generated according to the magnitude of the pressure signal.
After the shear slip signal acquired by the shear slip sensor 102 is processed by the digital signal processing module 2, a corresponding humming feeling or vibration feeling electrical stimulation waveform coding signal is generated according to the magnitude of the shear slip signal.
After the temperature and humidity signals collected by the humidity sensor 103 and the temperature sensor 104 are processed by the digital signal processing module 2, corresponding numb sensation or pain sensation electrical stimulation waveform coding signals are generated according to the magnitude of the temperature and humidity signals.
The electrostimulation module 4 includes an electrostimulator 401 and a surface patch electrode 402. The number of the electric stimulation modules 4 is 6, and the electric stimulation modules are respectively arranged in the induced finger feeling areas and any skin positions corresponding to the thumb, the index finger, the middle finger, the ring finger and the little finger of the amputee. Each electrical stimulator 401 is connected by an electrode lead to 2 electrode patch surface patch electrodes 402, the surface patch electrodes 402 being affixed to an evoked or surrogate sensory area on the end of an amputee's stump.
The serial port transmission module 3 comprises five finger signal transmission channels 301 and an arbitrary position signal transmission channel 302; the five finger signal transmission channels 301 are respectively connected with the electrical stimulation modules 4 arranged on the induced finger feeling areas corresponding to the five fingers and used for transmitting the electrical stimulation waveform coding signals representing different feelings; the arbitrary position signal transmission channel 302 is connected to the electrical stimulation module 4 disposed at an arbitrary skin position, and transmits the electrical stimulation waveform coding signals representing different sensations.
Specific contents of a percutaneous electrical stimulation coding mode based on multi-modal perception feedback comprise that different sensory intervals are established for amputees with insensitive electrical stimulation pulse width through the intensity of current, the proportional current size adjustment is given under the skin tolerance of the amputees with fixed current output frequency and pulse width, and 6 different sensory intervals corresponding to touch, press, humming, vibration, numbness and pain are searched under the current intensity of 1 mA-20 mA; for amputees with less sensitive electro-stimulation current intensity, different sensory intervals are established through the magnitude of the electro-stimulation pulse width, the magnitude of the electro-stimulation pulse width with equal proportion is adjusted under the skin tolerance of the amputees with fixed current output frequency and current intensity, and 6 different sensory intervals corresponding to touch, press, humming, vibration, numbness and pain are searched under the electro-stimulation pulse width of 50uS to 500 uS.
In an embodiment, the feedback time of the system does not exceed 100ms, and the electric stimulator provides real-time electric stimulation delivery output through the surface patch electrode when the system is in operation.
When the device is used, the patch electrodes corresponding to the electric stimulator are respectively attached to the induced finger feeling area or the alternative feeling area of the corresponding amputee, signals collected by the sensors are collected, received, analyzed and processed through the built-in analog-to-digital converter of the DSP, after a stimulation mode corresponding to the electric stimulator is generated, a control instruction of the electric stimulator is transmitted to the programmable electric stimulator, finally the electric stimulator carries out real-time feedback stimulation on the induced finger feeling area or the alternative feeling area corresponding to the amputee through the patch electrodes under the command control of the DSP, and different feelings can be output through the built-in mode switching and coding switching to achieve the feelings of touch, pressing, buzzing, vibration, numbness and pain, so that the multi-mode perception feedback establishment is realized.
As shown in figure 2, the invention combines a common artificial hand worn by an amputee, each type of sensor arranged on the artificial finger tip comprises a pressure sensor, a shearing slip sensor, a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor, each type of sensor is converted into a sensing feedback signal through a digital signal processor, the sensing feedback signal is converted into an electrical stimulation signal and transmitted to an electrical stimulation module, the electrical stimulation module inputs the sensing feedback signal into a finger induction sensing area on the tail end of a stump through a surface type patch electrode on the skin, and each type of sense of the original finger of the amputee can be reconstructed through the finger induction sensing area. When the induced finger area of a patient is not clear, the signal transmission channel at any position can be applied to establish pain so as to achieve the effect of early warning. If the induced finger feeling area of the patient is obvious, the signal transmission channel at any position does not need to be applied. Reconstruction through sensory feedback may help the amputee achieve better prosthetic control than merely visually manipulating the prosthetic hand.
Fig. 3 shows a signal processing flow of the present invention. The signals are pre-processed by a sensor on the artificial limb hand and then transmitted to a DSP (digital signal processor), analog-to-digital conversion and main conversion coding of the signals are carried out in the DSP, then the signals are converted into electrical stimulation waveform coding signals, and then the corresponding electrical stimulation modules are controlled by a serial port transmission module. And 5 finger signal transmission channels in the serial port transmission module are respectively connected with 5 electric stimulation modules arranged on the induced finger feeling areas corresponding to the five fingers to transmit electric stimulation waveform coding signals representing different feelings. And the other signal transmission channel at any position is connected with the 6 th electrical stimulation module arranged at any skin position to serve as an emergency pain perception channel for feeding back pain.
Fig. 4 shows a sensor relationship diagram corresponding to the multi-modal input of the present invention. The coding method based on multi-modal perception feedback mainly distinguishes six stages of transcutaneous electrical stimulation perception of each wearer, and the six stages of touch, pressing, humming, vibration, numbness and pain are respectively formed from the beginning of touch. The induced finger feeling zone can establish the induced finger feeling from the skin of the wearer from small to large through the input energy from touch to pain in six stages. The method comprises the steps of using touch and pressing as a generating corresponding relation of pressure input, using vibration as an input corresponding relation of shear slip, finally using temperature as an input corresponding relation of pain, setting priorities for the three corresponding relations, wherein the temperature is the highest, then using shear slip input, and finally using pressure input. The technical scheme provided by the invention can receive various sensors as establishment basis for inducing finger feel, preferentially judges whether the temperature and the humidity exceed a safety range, and outputs a tingling feel to enable a wearer to contract his hands and leave a dangerous area if the temperature and the humidity exceed a certain range; secondly, outputting the shearing slippage, wherein when the shearing slippage is generated, the slippage represents the slippage of the article, and at the moment, inputting vibration and humming feeling to remind a wearer of the article slipping; and finally, after no warning signal of temperature and humidity and shearing slippage is generated, equal-ratio pressure induction finger feeling is provided according to the magnitude of pressure input.
In summary, the present invention has many advantages over the prior art. The invention establishes the perception feedback close to the natural feeling according to the different finger feeling inducing conditions of the amputee by the technology of inducing the finger feeling area through the percutaneous electric stimulation, and can establish the multi-modal feeling mode by giving different electric stimulation inputs, and meanwhile, the degree of strength is divided into different grades. The invention establishes multi-mode information input, the input of vertical pressure and shearing slippage can provide the pressure and slippage feeling establishment for a wearer, the wearer can know whether a gripped object is gripped, if the object is not gripped, the gliding shearing slippage can be generated, when the shearing slippage is received, the wearer needs to be reminded by a perception feedback system to improve the gripping force to avoid the object from slipping, and the invention is a very important tactile feedback mechanism for the control of using artificial limbs. Whether the artificial hand is damaged due to excessive humidity or excessive temperature can be detected through judgment of the temperature and humidity sensor, and the amputee can give a slight pain warning when contacting a dangerous environment through sensing the establishment of the feedback pain, so that a bionic mechanism for contracting the hand due to pain is established. The invention aims at amputees with incomplete finger induction areas or missing finger induction areas, and utilizes multiple sensory modes generated by percutaneous electrical stimulation. The amputee is subjected to sensory training, so that the percutaneous electric stimulation at different positions corresponds to the feeling of different fingers, and different sensory modes correspond to different strong and weak sensory modes of the artificial hand, and the finger-to-finger alternative feeling is generated. The invention also takes the change curve of the temperature and humidity sensor as a method for judging the dangerous temperature/humidity, and the change curve is coded in the perception feedback so as to enable the prosthetic hand to leave the dangerous temperature and humidity environment within 1 s.
The foregoing detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention has been presented. It should be understood that numerous modifications and variations could be devised by those skilled in the art in light of the present teachings without departing from the inventive concepts. Therefore, the technical solutions available to those skilled in the art through logic analysis, reasoning and limited experiments based on the prior art according to the concept of the present invention should be within the scope of protection defined by the claims.