Iterative learning control of FES applied to the upper extremity for rehabilitation

In this paper iterative learning control schemes are used to apply functional electrical stimulation to the triceps of unimpaired subjects in order to perform trajectory tracking tasks. The subjects supply no voluntary effort and a robotic workstation is used to constrain their movement, impose known dynamics at the point of interaction with the robot, and provide assistive torque about the shoulder. Results from eighteen subjects are presented and show that a high level of performance can be achieved using the proposed method. In addition to illustrating how stimulation and robotics can be successfully combined in order to perform reaching tasks, the results provide justification for the system to be subsequently used by stroke patients for rehabilitation