A blink restoration system with contralateral EMG triggered stimulation and real-time software based artifact blanking

Patients suffering from facial paralysis are on the hazard of disfigurement and loss of vision due to loss of blink function. Functional-electrical stimulation (FES) is one possible way of restoring blink and other functions in these patients. A blink restoration system for uni-lateral facial paralyzed patients is described in this paper. The system achieves restoration of synchronized blink through processing on EMG signal from eyelid of healthy side in real-time and stimulating the paralyzed eyelid. Design issues are discussed, including real-time artifact blanking, stimulating strategies and EMG processing. An artifact removal algorithm based on software sample and hold technique is proposed. Finally, the whole system has been verified on rabbits.

[1]  M. May,et al.  Gold weight and wire spring implants as alternatives to tarsorrhaphy. , 1987, Archives of otolaryngology--head & neck surgery.

[2]  R. Merletti,et al.  Suppression of stimulation artifacts from myoelectric-evoked potential recordings , 1988, IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering.

[3]  J. N. Bleicher,et al.  Restoration of paralyzed orbicularis oculi muscle function by controlled electrical current. , 1991, Journal of investigative surgery : the official journal of the Academy of Surgical Research.

[4]  D. Farina,et al.  Stimulation artifact in surface EMG signal: effect of the stimulation waveform, detection system, and current amplitude using hybrid stimulation technique , 2003, IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering.

[5]  J. A. Freeman.  An electronic stimulus artifact suppressor. , 1971, Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology.

[6]  Y. Oh,et al.  An improved palpebral spring for the management of paralytic lagophthalmos. , 1991, Ophthalmology.

[7]  Daniel McDonnall,et al.  Restoration of blink in facial paralysis patients using FES , 2009, 2009 4th International IEEE/EMBS Conference on Neural Engineering.

[8]  Derek T O'Keeffe,et al.  Stimulus artifact removal using a software-based two-stage peak detection algorithm , 2001, Journal of Neuroscience Methods.

[9]  J.D. Weiland,et al.  Electrical Stimulation of the Paralyzed Orbicularis Oculi in Rabbit , 2007, IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering.

[10]  Thierry Keller,et al.  REAL-TIME STIMULATION ARTIFACT REMOVAL IN EMG SIGNALS FOR NEUROPROSTHESIS CONTROL APPLICATIONS , 2001 .

[11]  Wentai Liu,et al.  Closed-loop eyelid reanimation system with real-time blink detection and electrochemical stimulation for facial nerve paralysis , 2009, 2009 IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems.