Model-based transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation

Araiza Illan, Gloria; Kent, Christopher; Rossiter, Jonathan

Abstract

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is a technique that allows the excitation of nerve fibres using electric-current pulses through electrodes on the skin. This work involves the development of an electrical stimulation simulation environment that can be used for studying and designing TENS systems, as well as defining the excitation patterns. Using an eight-electrode array implementation, it is shown how nerves located at different depths and with different orientations respond to specific injected currents, allowing the replication of reported experimental findings and the formulation of new hypotheses about the tactile sensations associated with certain stimulation patterns and selective nerve stimulation. The electrical stimulation simulation environment is compared to a documented mechanical stimulation simulation environment using the Generalized Victor-Purpura metric. Two sets of stimuli targeting selective nerve stimulation are developed in the simulation environment, validated through the aforementioned metrics and evaluated through psychophysical experiments using the hardware implementation of the TENS system.

• Presentation Conference Type: Poster
• Conference Name: IEEE/RSJ International Workshop RoboTac: New Progress in Tactile Perception and Learning in Robotics
• Acceptance Date: Sep 7, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 15, 2019
• Peer Reviewed: Not Peer Reviewed
• Keywords: TENS, electrical stimulation, nerve response, GVP, spike train, neuroscience
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/1494901
• Additional Information: Title of Conference or Conference Proceedings : IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS)
• Contract Date: Jul 2, 2019