Hope for combined muscle stimulator
9 Dec 2010 by Evoluted New Media
A microchip that stimulates muscles and helps people with paraplegia exercise their leg muscles will be available for clinical trials next year say researchers at University College London.
A microchip that stimulates muscles and helps people with paraplegia exercise their leg muscles will be available for clinical trials next year say researchers at University College London.
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The active electrode book – the four slots close in around the nerve roots like the pages of a book |
The chip – dubbed the Active Book – has been created using the latest laser processing technology and can be inserted directly into the spinal canal. The device – around the size of a child’s fingernail – is the first to combine electrodes and a muscle stimulator in one unit.
“The work has the potential to stimulate more muscle groups than is currently possible with existing technology because a number of these devices can be implanted into the spinal canal,” said lead author Professor Andreas Demosthenous, “Stimulation of more muscle groups means users can perform enough movement to carry out controlled exercise such as cycling or rowing.”
The latest laser processing technology has been used to cut tiny electrodes from platinum foil. When folded into a 3D shape, the device looks like a book, with the pages closing in around the nerve root. They are micro-welded to a silicon chip, which is hermetically sealed to protect against water penetration.
It is hoped the Active Book will be available for pilot studies next year, and will lead to an increase in people with spinal cord injury able to exercise. Although electrode stimulation of leg muscles is currently used, few people continue the treatment as it involves attaching electrodes to the outside of the legs, and to an external stimulator.
It is hoped the device could also be used for a range of restorative functions such as stimulating bladder muscles to overcome incontinence and stimulating nerves to improve bowel capacity and suppress spasms.
Universities and Science Minister David Willetts said: “The Active Book is a good example of how UK scientists and engineers are translating research into innovations that deliver real benefits for society. This implant has the potential to make a real difference to the lives and long-term health of people with paraplegia in the UK and around the world.”
The project is co-led by Professor Nick Donaldson of UCL and includes engineers from Freiburg University and Tyndall Institute in York. It is funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
