Brain–computer interface controlled functional electrical stimulation for rehabilitation of hand function in people with spinal cord injury

Brain–computer interface (BCI) controlled functional electrical stimulation (FES) is a novel technique for volitional control of FES using a signal derived from the brain. The intuitive nature of BCI-FES has promoted its use to control FES-based assistive device to augment an imagined movement. Researchers are now exploring extensively the use of the BCI-FES as a neurorehabilitation system based on the fact that it necessitates active participation and establishes temporal association between efferent information, from cortical activation due to attempted movement and afferent information due to peripheral stimulation. The research literature mainly focuses on people with stroke for BCI-FES rehabilitation whilst people with spinal cord injury (SCI) have been considered good candidates for BCI-FES as an assistive device. This chapter discusses application of BCI-FES as neurorehabilitative system for the hand function in people with SCI, and highlights issues related to altered sensorimotor cortical activity as a result of the injury. Based on experimental results this chapter also introduces a concept of researcher-therapist-caregiver knowledge transfer and introduces a concept of caregiver and patient self-managed BCI-FES for home-based rehabilitation