Faculty Mentor(s)
Dr. Katharine Polasek, Engineering
Document Type
Poster
Event Date
4-12-2024
Abstract
Referred sensation is when electrical stimulation at one location activates a nerve that innervates a different location. Achieving referred sensation via surface electrical stimulation for the median nerve experimentally has been found to be difficult and time-consuming. Our long-term goal is to design an electrode array to be placed over the elbow crease and develop an algorithm to adjust the electrode voltages used for stimulation until a good referred sensation in the hand is achieved. Our goal for this project was to evaluate the sensation quality of different stimulation values in an electrode array.
Using an anatomically-based finite element model of the arm and median nerve, electrode voltages that resulted in unique nerve activation were found. Simulations were run with an electrode array consisting of three circular electrodes placed along the elbow crease. The model found 418 selective voltage combinations. Single fascicle selectivity was found for fascicle 6, double selectivity was found for fascicles [6,10], and triple selectivity was found for fascicles [6,8,10]. Unique voltage combinations were identified to be tested with human participants.
Two voltage relationships were chosen to test experimentally. A factorial experimental design was used to determine the effect of electrode voltage changes on the overall sensation quality. Two positions for the array were also tested to simulate variability in electrode placement in a clinical setting. For each set of parameters, participants were asked to report the location of the sensation, what it felt like and how strong it was. This information was used to give an overall quality rating to each set of parameters and was used in the statistical analysis.
Of the four participants in the study, only one felt localized sensation in their hand, while the others felt sensation throughout their forearm as well as the hand. When looking at the factorial analysis results, electrode 2 (in the center) was found to have the largest effect on sensation quality, but this effect wasn’t statistically significant. Future work will involve testing more participants and redesigning the electrode array to more reliably obtain localized hand sensation.
Recommended Citation
Repository citation: Quintanilla-Flores, Jeffrey; Egbuzie, Justin; and Urdaneta, Marianna, "How Adjusting Surface Electrode Voltages Affects Referred Sensation Quality" (2024). 23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024). Paper 68.
https://digitalcommons.hope.edu/curca_23/68
April 12, 2024. Copyright © 2024 Hope College, Holland, Michigan.
Comments
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1805447.
One author's name spelled differently on poster than abstract booklet: Jeffery Quintinilla-Flores.