Interface to fes control system

Abstract

A functional electrical stimulation system for controlling the movement of a portion of a body of a subject, such as the subject's legs. The system comprises a sensor that in one arrangement is mountable to a portion of the subjects' body other than the legs, for example the torso. In another arrangement, the sensor can be mountable to a walking aid, such as a crutch. The sensor outputs signals representative of the position and/or movement of the torso or walking aid. The system also comprises a control means that receives and processes the signals output by the sensor and outputs control signals to a stimulator adapted to provide electrical stimulation to the legs via electrodes in response to the position and/or movement of the torso or walking aid as determined by the sensor.

1 . A functional electrical stimulation system for controlling the movement of one or both legs of a body of a subject comprising:
 a measuring device having at least one sensor that is mountable to at least one of the torso or head of the subject and which outputs signals representative of the angle of said subject's torso or head relative to a predetermined a predetermined spatial reference plane;   a controller that receives and processes the signals output by the measuring device and outputs control signals; and   a stimulator that receives the control signals and is adapted to provide electrical stimulation to said one or both legs in response to said output signals determined by the measuring device.   
   
   
       2 . The functional electrical stimulation system of  claim 1  wherein the measuring device only measures the angle of said at least one of the torso or head when that body portion has stopped gross movement. 
   
   
       3 . The functional electrical stimulation system of  claim 1  wherein the measuring device comprises at least one transducer. 
   
   
       4 . The functional electrical stimulation system of  claim 3  wherein said at least one transducer is implantable within the subject. 
   
   
       5 . The functional electrical stimulation system of  claim 1  wherein the controller further comprises a storage unit having at least one predetermined action sequence storable therein, and further wherein, on receipt of signals from the measuring device, said at least one predetermined action sequence is provided to the stimulator. 
   
   
       6 . The functional electrical stimulation system of  claim 5  wherein said at least one predetermined action sequence results in the subject moving from a standing to a sitting position, or moving from a sitting to a standing position, walking, or moving the legs in a pedaling action. 
   
   
       7 . The functional electrical stimulation system of  claim 1  wherein said at least one sensor is mounted to the torso and further wherein, the controller outputs control signals to the stimulator when the torso of the subject is bent forward by an angle of between about 10° and about 60° relative to a notional horizontal plane. 
   
   
       8 . The functional electrical stimulation system of  claim 1  wherein said at least one sensor is mounted to the torso and further wherein, the controller outputs control signals to the stimulator when the torso of the subject is bent forward by an angle of between about 250 and about 500 relative to a notional horizontal plane. 
   
   
       9 . The functional electrical stimulation system of  claim 1  wherein said at least one sensor is mounted to the torso and further wherein, the controller outputs control signals to the stimulator when the torso of the subject is bent forward by an angle of between about 250 and about 450 relative to a notional horizontal plane. 
   
   
       10 . The functional electrical stimulation system of  claim 1  wherein the stimulator further comprises at least one electrode mountable on said body portion and is electrically connected to the output of the stimulator. 
   
   
       11 . The functional electrical stimulation system of  claim 1  wherein the system further comprises an override device that monitors the position of said subject and prevents provision of electrical stimulation to said body portion if the position of said subject is such that stimulation is inappropriate or unsafe for the subject. 
   
   
       12 . The functional electrical stimulation system of  claim 1  wherein the system further comprises a feedback device that measures the position or movement of said body portion being stimulated by the stimulator and provides output signals to the controller representative of these measurements. 
   
   
       13 . The functional electrical system of  claim 1  wherein the controller has an operation having an activation and deactivation device that allows the subject to selectively turn on and off at least one of the controller and the functional electrical stimulation system. 
   
   
       14 . A functional electrical stimulation system for controlling the movement of a portion of a body of a subject comprising:
 a measuring device having at least one sensor that is mountable to the torso of the subject and which outputs signals representative of the angle of said subject's torso relative to a predetermined spatial reference plane;   a controller that receives and processes the signals output by the measuring device and outputs control signals; and   a stimulator that receives the control signals and is adapted to provide electrical stimulation to said one or both legs in response to the angle of the subject's torso determined by the measuring device;   wherein, on detecting twisting movements of the torso and that the subject is at least substantially horizontal, the controller outputs control signals that cause the stimulator to output a sequence of stimulation impulses that serve to roll the subject over.   
   
   
       15 . The functional electrical stimulation system of  claim 14  wherein the controller is programmed to output signals to the stimulator to cause roll over of the subject at predetermined times. 
   
   
       16 . The functional electrical stimulation system of  claim 15  wherein the controller is programmed to output signals causing roll over of the subject at least 2 times in an 8 hour period. 
   
   
       17 . A functional electrical stimulation system for controlling the movement of one or both legs of a body of a subject comprising:
 a measuring device having at least one sensor that is mountable to at least one of the torso or head of the subject and which outputs signals representative of the angle of said subject's torso or head relative to a predetermined spatial reference plane;   a controller; and   a stimulator;   wherein the controller further comprises a storage unit having at least one predetermined action sequence storable therein that is provided to the stimulator on receipt of predetermined control signals from the controller, said action sequence resulting in the subject moving from a standing to a sitting position or moving from a sitting to a standing position.   
   
   
       18 . A controller for a functional electrical stimulation system that provides a subject that is unable to walk naturally with a means of continuously controlling a walking sequence created by the functional electrical stimulation system during performance of the sequence, the functional electrical system comprising:
 a measuring device having at least one sensor that is mountable to at least one of the torso or head and which outputs signals representative of the current position and movement of said subject's torso or head that can be moved naturally by the subject;   a controller; and   a stimulator;   wherein the controller receives and processes signals output by the measuring device and outputs control signals to the stimulator to provide electrical stimulation suitable to cause the legs of the subject to move with a walking movement, said movement being in response to the current position and movement of said subject's torso or head as determined by the measuring device.   
   
   
       19 . A method of controlling functional electrical stimulation provided to one or both legs of a subject and so controlling the movement of one or both legs, the method comprising:
 measuring the angle of said subject's torso or head relative to a predetermined spatial reference plane;   processing the signals; and   outputting electrically stimulation to said one or both legs in response to at least one of the measured position and movement of said subject's torso or head.