A biomimetic strategy for control of FES reaching

Victims of spinal cord injury at the cervical level are usually left with a partially paralyzed arm whose upper arm is controlled voluntarily but the lower arm is largely paralyzed. Restoration of reach and grasp functions is essential for independence and quality of life of these patients. Here we describe a biomimetic approach for control of reaching that combines the residual voluntary control of the upper arm with functional electrical stimulation control of the paralyzed lower arm to restore reaching movement. A realistic biomechanical model of the human arm, able-bodied volunteers, and paralyzed patients will be used to develop, test, and deploy the proposed controller.