Device for Studying Reanimation of Unilateral Facial Paralysis

Abstract

A device for studying facial pacing for people who suffer from unilateral facial paralysis is presented. The device is able to measure electromyographic (EMG) signals from the healthy side of the face and simultaneously activate the paralysed side with electrical stimulation. Electronics designed for the device are integrated to a single tabletop unit together with a myRIO embedded hardware device by National Instruments (NI). The presented device is designed to fulfil the safety requirements of the Council Directive 93/42/EEC of the European Union concerning medical devices and IEC 60601 standards. The device is powered by a commercial medical grade power source. The custom electronics include isolated measurement and stimulation amplifiers that feed the signals to and from the myRIO. Complex real-time processing can be carried out in the myRIO's FPGA circuit for detecting muscle activations and producing appropriate stimulation signals. The functionality is programmed with NI LabVIEW. The device is controlled wirelessly via a computer interface, and the measured data is logged to the computer. Clinical study with the device is about to be started at the Tampere University Hospital. First trials will determine and compare the required stimulation signal waveform parameters for transcutaneous activation of facial muscles of healthy participants and patients suffering from unilateral facial paralysis. Four measurement and four stimulation channels of the device enable studying different electrode configurations and stimulation patterns for recognizing and reanimating symmetrical facial expressions in the future.