Flexible Multi-Channel Electrical Stimulation System for Assisting Grasping in Patients with Hemiplegia

Stroke patients are unable to perform gripping actions effectively as normal individuals due to impaired hand function. Electrical stimulation is currently a relatively effective rehabilitation method, but there is still room for improvement in aspects such as grip control precision and grip posture selection. Therefore, we propose a multi-channel electrical stimulation system to achieve precise control of hand gripping in stroke patients and assist in hand function rehabilitation. The pressure-controlled constant current source electrical stimulation system is proposed and a flexible wearable 16-channel hand FPC electrical stimulation patch is designed according to the distribution of hand muscles. The MCU controls an external DAC chip to generate voltage to drive the pressure-controlled constant current source, thereby generating adjustable biphasic symmetrical stimulation pulse waveforms. The FPC transmits the generated stimulation pulses to the corresponding stimulation points to achieve precise electrical stimulation of specific points. Through three comparative experiments, the results indicate that precise control of finger movement angles has been achieved by adjusting the stimulation current and frequency. The flexible multi-channel hand electrical stimulation system offers a solution for restoring motor function in patients with hemiplegia.