Focal dystonia is a neurological condition in which muscles contract involuntarily, causing repetitive, twisting movements and abnormal posturing in one part of the body. Currently, botulinum neurotoxin (BNT) is the most common treatment for the disorder; however, it only treats the symptoms.The proposed project is a wearable sensorimotor integrator (WSMI) device that aids patients suffering from focal dystonia, Parkinson’s resting tremors, and essential tremors. The WSMI will detect dystonic muscle activity viacustomized skin-like surface sensors and send a separate cutaneous vibratory signal to the brain’s senori-motor integration network (basal ganglia). The device limits discomfort, allowing for improved function and overall improving the quality of life of affected individuals.
Image A showssquare sensor patch with an EMG source. The sensor array is designed such that the EMG source can be localized between two grid points (similar to a pixel of a digital image) and relief feedbackcan be given accordingly to ease the dystonic muscle.Image B shows a square sensor patch with an EMG source. The amplitude of the EMG signal decays with increasing distance.