Development of an intelligent electromyostimulator for muscular conditioning – ELECSTIM

Analysis of the reliability of the different methods to separate the internal (EMG) and external (stimulation artefacts) signals,regarding to the stimulation frequency and the potential occurence of noise in the signal. Reconstruction of M-wave truncated at high frequency stimulations. Determination of the relevant parameters (amplitude, duration, shape, area) from the analysis of muscle M waves collected and isolated. Strategies for servo implement the optimal optimization strategies. Determination of the technological choices in line with the complexity of algorithms.

ELECSTIM is able to electromyostimulate the muscle and record this surface EMG signal simultanously. The parameters of stimulation (e.g. amplitude, frequency) can be regulated manually or automatically according to the changes in muscle characteristics (e.g. M-wave) or muscle fatigue. ELECSTIM integrates and provides different functions in order to make easier the use of electromyostimulation in a safety way especially for patients. Moreover, this device doing all by itself, the teaching time of potential users and implementation will be reduced and will provide substantial money savings.

Electromyostimulation technique is widely established in the French culture, introducing ELECSTIM, will not raise a problem of acceptance if the price is adapted to the market and provide substantial innovations . The simplicity of the technical solution should give ELECSTIM economic advantages on the basis of its efficiency (gain in terms of time and processing cost), design (a single product for two functions) and its functions.

Yochum et coll. (2013) IRBM 34 (1), 43-47.
Yochum et coll. (2014) EMG artifacts removal during electrical stimulation, a CWT based technique. IEEE, 137-140.
Yochum et coll. (2014) Multi axis representation and Euclidean distance of muscle fatigue indexes during evoked contractions. IEEE, 446-449

The muscular electrostimulation or electromyostimulation (EMS) is a technique developed these last years within the framework of the rehabilitation of the atrophied muscle, but also to reinforce the healthy muscle of the sedentary or sporting subject. However, in order to optimise the parameters of the current of simulation (intensity, frequency) during an EMS session, it is necessary to record in real time some information relating to the properties of the stimulated muscle. The recording of the electrical activity of the simulated muscle by electromyography (EMG) is necessary to detect for example a muscular fatigue and/or to avoid the tissue damage in the case of the unconditioned muscle. To date, EMS and EMG are two independent techniques, requiring each specific cutaneous electrodes: some electrodes of stimulation for EMS and some electrodes for EMG recording. The localisation of EMS stimulation is thus different from the localisation of EMG recording. Moreover, EMS creates a stimulation artefact which disturbs the signal collected by the EMG. The goal of this project is to develop a new system of muscular electrostimulation with electrodes having a double function (stimulation + recording). This system will allow recording the muscular electrical activity during its stimulation, and will be able to adjust in real time the parameters of the current of stimulation. This new technology will represent the first intelligent electromyostimulator that will be able to control the intensity of stimulation according to the muscles’ response. This system is an alternative in the treatment of unconditioned muscle for subjects suffering from a motor deficiency (e.g. cardiac or respiratory insufficiency, obesity)