[CCoE Notice] Cullen College Dissertation Announcement

[Hutchinson, Inez A]

[Dissertation Defense Announcement at the Cullen College of Engineering]

Effects of Electrotactile Stimulation on Muscle Excitation and Intermuscular Coordination in the Human Upper Extremity

Hy Khanh Doan

April 25, 2024; 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM (CST)
Location: SERC 2028
Zoom: https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://uh-edu-cougarnet.zoom.us/j/95945388093?pwd=dTF5Ri9IZWpYd0c4V2hETEdQTWxIUT09__;!!LkSTlj0I!C6pK9pGz63Ojn_XEYmsfII2caWweIcI1eYd3-MGwbNeBCAdIr4Hz69W4e-nDQYb2rbWHGIRKBLBOxsUhHBcRYK-HmSU$ <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/uh-edu-cougarnet.zoom.us/j/95945388093?pwd=dTF5Ri9IZWpYd0c4V2hETEdQTWxIUT09__;!!LkSTlj0I!HU4ueAAXdQmoP458pzDVRIfmMjCajLJB6xME7vBi-Y7BvEsPJdgWMkzND4B5l7k1pTvlRM9kssl8BuRu01V0EcJE$>

Committee Chair:
Jinsook Roh, Ph.D.

Committee Members:
Hangue Park, Ph.D. | Pranav Parikh, Ph.D. | Yasemin Akay, Ph.D.

Abstract

Touch perception, particularly in our fingers and hands, plays a crucial role in effective communication, shaping our sense of self, and influencing our fundamental understanding of the world. In turn, loss of sense of touch can be extremely damaging to an individual’s quality of life. Electrotactile stimulation (ETS) has proven to be a promising aid in restoring or augmenting sensation for those with sensory deficits from amputation or nerve damage. Although the applications and functional efficacy of electrotactile stimulation has been extensively explored, the impact of electrotactile stimulation on fundamental physiological structures, specifically the underlying strategies of neuromuscular coordination and control, remains largely unexplored. In this study, we investigated whether electrotactile stimulation (ETS) is able to modulate electromyographic (EMG) activity, if so, how EMG modulation depends on motor task constraints, and whether ETS modulates any attributes of muscle synergies relating to upper extremity movements in the healthy population. EMGs were recorded from eleven major arm muscles in the non-dominant arm of fifteen young-healthy participants during 3D exploratory isometric force target matches. Force directions were visually flipped for increase in cognitive load and ETS was delivered during the last one-second stable force target match. Six experimental conditions were performed, with the presence and absence of stimulation, presence and absence of sensory attenuation, and then combining two different stimulation configurations. At the individual muscle level, it was found that ETS significantly modulated EMG magnitude, but the stimulation location determined the direction of modulation. Synergy compositions were found to be conserved while synergy activation coefficients were modulated in similar patterns to those found in the EMG magnitude. ETS modulation of muscle activity is able to make muscle control more efficient, in the context of energy conservation. However, stimulation location, sensation localization, and how natural the stimulation feels in relation to the task are important aspects to consider for sensory augmentation applications of ETS in the healthy population.

[Engineered For What's Next]


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