JP2799379B2 - Stimulator - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a stimulating device for stimulating a paralyzed part by stimulating a nerve or the like of a motor paralyzed patient based on a remaining functional operation.

[Summary of the Invention]

The present invention detects a remaining functional operation of a paralyzed patient and supplies a digitized control signal to a functional electrostimulation computer, and the control signal converts the stimulation data stored in a storage means in the functional electrostimulation computer. In a stimulating device for outputting and stimulating a plurality of electrodes embedded in the paralyzed patient to activate a paralyzing function, at least the amount of change in the stimulus output of the continuously changing stimulus data changes in the storage means. Point data is stored as coordinate system data of an address and a stimulus output (stimulus data is compressed and stored),
When the stimulus data is output, the coordinate system data is converted to continuously changing stimulus data and output, thereby simplifying management of a large amount of stimulus data and reducing the area required for storing the stimulus data. Downsizing of the stimulator due to
It is intended to realize high-speed processing (such as data transfer) for stimulus data.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, in order to recover the paralyzed limb of a motor palsy patient with severe limb paralysis, voluntary biological signals such as electromyogram, electroencephalogram, jaw, shoulder, neck, etc. The signal from the detecting means (sensor) attached to each of the above-mentioned parts is converted to a functional electrical stimulus (Functonal electrical stimulati
on: hereinafter referred to as FES) is processed using a computer, and the electrodes implanted near nerves or muscles are subjected to electrical stimulation programmed by the FES computer described above. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Sho 59-160455 discloses a stimulator for performing the movement of the limb intended by the present inventors. A stimulator using such a FES computer can exercise not only limbs but also respiratory muscles, trunk muscles, genitourinary organs, and other motor functions. It has remarkable therapeutic effects on shortening, muscle and joint contracture, bone atrophy, muscle spasticity and circulatory disorders. Various types of such stimulators have been proposed, but a stimulator (21) as shown in FIG. 4 is known. In FIG. 4, (22a) to (22n) show the remaining voices, joints, muscle displacements, respiration, biopotentials (encephalograms, electromyograms, bioaction potentials), postures, and other information obtained from the living body of a motor palsy patient. Detection means for detecting a biological signal,
The detection signals from these detection means (22a) to (22n) are supplied to the FES computer (24) as control signals obtained by digitizing the detection signals by an analog-digital conversion circuit or the like constituting the signal processing means (23). The FES computer (24) stores the stimulus data for each control signal in the storage means (25) in the computer (24), and recognizes various control signals inputted by the signal processing means (23). The stimulus data stored in the storage means (25) is selected. This storage means (25)
Is generated by a generator (26) provided separately from the stimulator (21) for each patient. The stimulus data of this generator is created by a large stimulus pattern generation computer (27). That is, the stimulus data written in the ROM by the ROM writer (28) is transferred to the FES computer (24).
Is inserted into the storage means (25). The above
Based on the stimulus data selected by the FES computer (24), a stimulus pulse train is created and a plurality of electrodes (29) embedded in the living body are stimulated to activate the paralyzed part.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, in the conventional stimulating device, all stimulus data whose output continuously changes with time are sequentially assigned to addresses and stored in the storage means (25). A significant amount of space was required to store the stimulus data. Therefore, the amount of stimulus data that can be stored and the number of types of motion are limited, and as a result, there is a disadvantage that the selectivity of the type of motion is lacking.
In order to solve this inconvenience, in the case of the conventional stimulating device, the storage means (25) is increased in capacity (larger) or connected to a large external storage means in addition to the storage means (25). There is only a method of storing the stimulus data in the storage means, and there is an inconvenience that the stimulator is increased in size and is not practically used.

In addition, when data is corrected, for example, data at individual addresses must be checked or corrected one by one, and data management is very troublesome.

In addition, since the amount of data is large, it takes time to transfer data between the devices (for example, between the stimulator (21) and the biological device (26)), and it is necessary to wait for a long time before the stimulator (21) becomes usable. There was also the inconvenience of not becoming.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of such a point, and an object thereof is to simplify the management of a large amount of stimulus data and reduce the number of stimulus devices by compressing the stimulus data so as to reduce the number of data points. An object of the present invention is to provide a stimulator capable of realizing miniaturization and high-speed processing of stimulus data.

[Means for solving the problem]

The stimulator according to the present invention detects the remaining functional operation of the paralyzed patient (2) and supplies a digitized control signal (v) to the FES computer (4), and the FES computer (4) uses the control signal (v) to generate a FES computer.
The stimulus data stored in the storage means (6) in the computer (4) is output, and the plurality of electrodes (5a), (5b) ‥‥ (5n) embedded in the paralyzed patient (2) are stimulated and paralyzed. In the stimulating device (A) for operating the function, the storage means (6) stores, in the storage means (d), data of at least a point at which the amount of change in the stimulus output changes among the stimulus data (d), as an address and a stimulus output. Is stored as coordinate system data (c) of
When the stimulus data is output, the coordinate system data (c) is converted into continuously changing stimulus data (d) and output.

[Action]

According to the configuration of the present invention, the stimulus data (d) whose output continuously changes with the passage of time is converted into the data of the point at which the output change amount changes, that is, the coordinate system data (c) of the address and the output. Since the compressed data is stored in the storage means (6), the storage area of the stimulus data relating to one operation can be greatly reduced. As a result, the number of operation types that can be stored in the storage means (6) Can be greatly increased, the size of the stimulator can be reduced, and the stimulator can be put to practical use.

In the case where the stimulus data (d) is corrected, if only the coordinate system data (c) is corrected, the stimulus data (d) is automatically corrected and output when the stimulus data is output. It takes no effort to correct the data, and data (c)
, The management of the stimulus data (d) is also simplified.

Further, it is possible to increase the speed of processing related to stimulus data such as data transfer.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the stimulator (A) according to the present embodiment. In this figure, (1) is means for detecting the remaining functional operation of the motor paralysis patient (2),
Voice detection means (1a), joint / muscle displacement detection means (1b),
It has detection means such as respiration detection means (1c) and biopotential detection means (1n).

(3) is a signal processing means composed of a plurality of amplifiers and an analog-to-digital converter (A / D), and the input signals (Sa), (Sb), (Sc) from the detection means (1)}. ‥
(Sn) is converted into a digitized control signal (v).

(4) is a control signal (v) from the signal processing means (3).
Electrode (5) implanted in the stimulation site of patient (2) based on
a), (5b) F (5n) FES computer that transfers stimulus data.

In the storage means (6) of the FES computer (4), in particular, in the stimulus data area (6a), the stimulus whose output continuously changes with the passage of time as shown in FIG. Data (d) is compressed and stored. That is, when the stimulus data (d) is sequentially assigned and stored, the stimulus data area (6a) requires a storage area for the number of assigned addresses. For example, when stimulus data (d) is assigned to 250 addresses, a storage area for 250 addresses is required. Therefore, when data relating to a plurality of operation types is stored, the storage means (6) must have a large capacity (large size) or an external storage means must be separately provided. Lack of practicality. Therefore, in this embodiment, the stimulus data (d) is compressed to reduce the number of data points of the stimulus data (d). For example, as shown in FIG. B, points at which the amount of change in the stimulus output changes, that is, points A (a ₁ , d ₁ ) and point B (a
₂ , d ₂ ), point C (a ₃ , d ₃ ), point D (a ₄ , d ₄ ), point E (a ₅ ,
d ₅ ), starting point 0 (0,0), and ending point F (a ₆ , d ₆ )
The coordinate system data (c) is stored in the stimulus data area (6a). If you do this,
In this case, the number of data points is only seven, and the above data point number is 25.
The storage area is greatly reduced as compared with the case of zero. Therefore, it is possible to store stimulus data relating to a large number of operation types as coordinate system data in the stimulus data area (6a), and to cause the stimulus site to perform various pattern operations.

When outputting the stimulus data (d), the stimulus data conversion program is read from the operation program data area (6b), and the stimulus data creation work is performed based on the coordinate system data (c) in the stimulus data area (6a). Area (6c)
After creating the stimulus data (d), multiple digital
An electrode (5a) implanted in a living body of a paralyzed patient (2) as a stimulation pulse train of an analog signal from a signal output means (7) composed of an analog converter (D / A) and an isolator;
(5b) Supplied to (5n). Electrodes (5a), (5b) ‥
‥ (5n) is related to nerves and muscle groups and stimulates them to work the paralyzed part.

On the other hand, a computer for generating coordinate system data (8) for generating coordinate system data (c) for each paralyzed patient (2), a storage means (9) included in a computer such as a RAM, and an external storage device (10). ) Is usually separated from the stimulator (A), and is used between the FES computer (4) and the coordinate system data generation computer (8) when generating or correcting the coordinate system data. To a data bus (11) or the like via a transmission path. This transmission path uses a telemeter, infrared,
This may be performed via an electromagnetic coupling means or the like.

Next, a coordinate system data generation procedure in the coordinate system data generation computer (8) will be described with reference to FIG.

First, in the step (ST ₁ ) following the start (ST ₀ ), the standard stimulus data written on the floppy disk is loaded into the external storage device (10) in the generating device (B). This standard stimulus data is obtained from the joints of healthy subjects (normal people without paralysis),
An electromyogram waveform detecting a muscle displacement or the like is subjected to envelope detection, a pulse train obtained by sampling the envelope waveform is obtained, and stimulus data in which the voltage amplitude or pulse width of each pulse of the pulse train is a digital value is recorded. As the stimulus data, for example, data corresponding to all the operations of holding the cup by hand is recorded. When the above data is stored in the stimulus data area (9a) in the storage means (9) via the coordinate system data generation computer (8), it is stored in the shared work area (9c) and then in the operation program area. The coordinate system data conversion program is read from the area (9b), the stimulus output change amount between the addresses of the data in the area (9c) is calculated, and standard coordinate system data is created and stored based on the calculation result. In addition, data converted into standard coordinate system data in advance may be stored in the stimulus data area (9a) via the external storage device (10) and the coordinate system data generation computer (8). In this case, the processing after the step (ST ₁ ) is omitted.

Embedded in the next step (ST ₂₎ in the generator (B) and stimulator (A) parallel to the paralyzed patient (2) signal output means to connect between (7) and individual paralyzed patient (2) The plurality of electrodes (5a) to (5n) are connected, and the FES computer (4) and the coordinate system data generation computer (8) are connected by a data bus (11). In the next step (ST ₃ ), the FE of the stimulator (A) is controlled by controlling the generator (B).
Stimulate the individual muscle groups of the paralyzed patient (2) via the S computer (4). In the next step (ST ₄ ), the threshold level of each muscle group is found based on the threshold level of the muscle group of a healthy person by changing the amplitude or pulse width of the stimulation pulse. Next step (S
In T _5), to correct the correction program from the operating program data area (9b) reads, standard coordinate system data on the basis of the stimulus output according to the threshold level that finds the coordinate system data suitable for an individual patient to. In the next step (ST ₆ ), the coordinate system data corrected and stored in the stimulus data area (9 a) and the operation program data area (9 b) of the storage means (9) is stored in the FES computer (4) through the data bus (11). The data is transferred to the stimulus data area (6a) and the operation program area (6b) of the storage means (6). In this case, the operation program data is transmitted together, but only the coordinate system data may be transmitted. Disconnecting the data bus (11) between the next step (ST ₇₎ In the generator (B) and stimulator (A). In the next step (ST ₈ ), since the data stored in the storage means (6) has been corrected or set, a stimulation pulse is supplied to the specific paralyzed patient (2), for example, to grasp the hand, etc. The stimulator alone performs to the end (ST ₉ ). In the above embodiment, the case where all the coordinate system data is set and transferred has been described. However, only the coordinate system data of the corrected portion may be transferred, or a part of the operation program data may be stored in the generation device. The data may be corrected and only the corrected portion may be written to the operation program data area (6b) of the storage means (6) of the FES computer (4) through the data bus (11).

As described above, according to this example, the stimulus data (d) whose output continuously changes is compressed into data of a point where the amount of change of the output changes, that is, coordinate system data (c) of the address and the output and stored. Since the stimulus data is stored in the stimulus data area (6a) in the means (6), the stimulus data storage area for one operation can be significantly reduced. Therefore, the number of operation types that can be stored in the stimulus data area (6a) can be greatly increased, and the stimulator can be downsized as the stimulus data area (6a) becomes smaller.

In addition, since the number of data points is small, it is possible to simplify data management such as correction and check for stimulus data, and to speed up access processing such as data transfer.

In the above embodiment, when the coordinate system data (C) is converted to the stimulus data, the stimulus data is converted to the linear stimulus data (d) as shown in FIG. 2A. It is also possible. As a method of converting the curved data, for example, an algorithm for generating several types of curve pattern data according to predetermined parameters is registered in the stimulus data conversion program, and when creating the stimulus data, the type of stimulus site or A curve pattern is selected in accordance with the gradient between two points in the coordinate system data, and data between each two points in the coordinate system data is created based on the curve pattern. This conversion method is merely an example, and various other methods can be considered.

〔The invention's effect〕

Since the present invention is configured as described above, processing relating to stimulus data such as simplification of management of a large amount of stimulus data, downsizing of a stimulator by reducing an area required for storing stimulus data, data transfer, and the like. Can be speeded up.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a stimulator according to the present embodiment, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a pattern of stimulus data and an example of storing coordinate system data, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a conventional example. (A) is a stimulator, (1) is detection means, (2) is a paralyzed patient, (3) is signal processing means, (4) is a FES computer, (5) is an electrode, (6) is storage means, ( 7) is a signal output means, (B) is a generation device, (8) is a computer for generating coordinate system data, (9) is storage means, (10) is an external storage device, (d) is stimulus data, and (c) Is coordinate system data.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Yasunori Handa 2-1-9 Yamato-cho, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture (72) Inventor Nozomi Hoshimiya Kawauchi (No address) Sendai House 11-106 (72) Inventor Seiichi Ishikawa 1-57, Tenjin-cho, Kodaira-shi, Tokyo Inside the Tokyo Plant of NEC Sanei Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Masahiko Tanaka 1-57, Tenjin-cho, Kodaira-shi, Tokyo Inside Tokyo Plant of NEC Sanei (72 ) Inventor Takashi Hisamoto 1-57 Tenjincho, Kodaira-shi, Tokyo Inside the Tokyo plant of NEC Sanei Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-2-195967 (JP, A) JP-A-1-87752 (JP, U) 1-87751 (JP, U) (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) A61N 1/36

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A control signal digitized by detecting a remaining functional operation of a paralyzed patient and supplied to a functional electrical stimulation computer, and the control signal is used to store stimulation data stored in a storage means in the functional electrical stimulation computer. A stimulator for outputting a plurality of electrodes and stimulating a plurality of electrodes implanted in the paralyzed patient to perform a paralyzing function. The stimulus is characterized in that the data of a point to be stored is stored as coordinate system data of an address and a stimulus output, and when the stimulus data is output, the coordinate system data is converted into continuously changing stimulus data and output. apparatus.