Gait restoration by functional electrical stimulation

For over 40 years, research labs have been developing gait assist systems that use electrical stimulation of muscle to restore function to limbs paralyzed as a result of spinal cord injury. The concept of functional electrical stimulation (FES) is simple, but realization is challenging. While there are some similarities between FES-aided gait and a bipedal robot walking machine, there are also significant differences in actuators (muscles versus motors), sensors, and control strategy. Hybrid approaches that combine FES with a mechanical orthosis show promise for overcoming some of the limitations of FES-aided gait.