Iterative Learning Mediated FES in Stroke Rehabilitation

This study examined Stimulation Assistance through Iterative Learning (SAIL), a novel stroke rehabilitation system for the upper limb. Five hemiparetic stroke participants with reduced upper limb function undertook 18, 1 hour training sessions. Participants completed 3D tracking tasks in which they moved their impaired arm to follow a slowly moving sphere along a specified trajectory. The participants’ arm was supported by a robot. Functional electrical stimulation (FES), precisely controlled by advanced iterative learning algorithms, was applied to the triceps and anterior deltoid muscles to assist accurate tracking. For assessment, participants completed unassisted tracking tasks in each session, as well as clinical assessments (ARAT and FMA) preand post-intervention. Results show that unassisted tracking performance and FMA scores improved over the intervention, and the amount of FES required to produce accurate tracking reduced over the same period. The technology employed by the SAIL system was designed to help stroke patients train their upper limb muscles, leading to improved motor control. The results from this study suggest that SAIL can accurately assist upper limb movement in stroke participants. The feasibility and effectiveness of SAIL in reducing upper limb impairments following stroke was demonstrated.