Closed-loop control system for ankle movement based on electrical stimulation of spinal central pattern generator_Journal of Biomedical Engineering

Authors：

SHEN Xiaoyan ^1,2 , ZHANG Xinlong ¹ , LOU Xiongjie ¹ , GU Hui ¹ , BIAN Xiongheng ¹ , ZHONG Hongkui ¹ ,  ZHAO Yuhua ^2,3

1. School of Information Science and Technology, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226019, P. R. China;
2. Yancheng Tongzhou Orthopedic Hospital, Yancheng, Jiangsu 224002, P. R. China;
3. Suzhou Shenchen Medical Technology Co., Suzhou, Jiangsu 215004, P. R. China;

Corresponding?author：

ZHAO Yuhua, Email: tzzyh@163.com

Keywords：

Intraspinal microstimulation; Central pattern generator; Control strategy

DOI：

10.7507/1001-5515.202411040

Video：

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Intraspinal microstimulation (ISMS) is a rehabilitation technology that activates muscle movement by electrically stimulating the spinal cord, thereby restoring the function of paralyzed limbs. In this study, a fuzzy logic-controlled self-tuning proportional-integral-derivative (PID) algorithm was adopted. By simultaneously adjusting three key electrical stimulation parameters—amplitude, pulse width, and frequency of the pulse signal—the distal locomotor central pattern generator (CPG) in rats with spinal cord injury (SCI) was activated, realizing real-time control of hindlimb ankle joint movement in paralyzed rats. To verify the control performance of the intraspinal microstimulation system, animal experiments were conducted. Statistical results showed that the root mean square error (RMSE) of joint angle tracking was 2.50°, and the normalized root mean square error (NRMSE) was 5.78%. The results indicate that the ankle joint of the paralyzed hindlimb in SCI rats can move according to the preset angle trajectory through single-electrode intraspinal electrical stimulation.

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8.	Sunshine M D, Ganji C N, Fuller D D, et al. Respiratory resetting elicited by single pulse spinal stimulation. Respir Physiol Neurobiol, 2020, 274: 103339.
9.	Pikov V, McCreery DB, Han M. Intraspinal stimulation with a silicon-based 3D chronic microelectrode array for bladder voiding in cats. J Neural Eng, 2020, 17(6): 065004.
10.	Omar T, Martin D H, Sean F, et al. In-vivo testing of a novel wireless intraspinal microstimulation interface for restoration of motor function following spinal cord injury. Artif Organs, 2023, 48(3): 263-273.
11.	Amirali T, Everaert D G, Perlmutter S I, et al. Functional organization of motor networks in the lumbosacral spinal cord of non-human primates. Sci Rep, 2019, 9(1): 13539.
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13.	Holinski B J, Mazurek K A, Everaert D G, et al. Intraspinal microstimulation produces over-ground walking in anesthetized cats. J Neural Eng, 2016, 13(5): 056016.
14.	Rouhani E, Erfanian A. Block-based robust control of stepping using intraspinal microstimulation. J Neural Eng, 2018, 15(4): 046026.
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17.	董瑋, 王如彬, 張志康. 探討生物體節律性步態運動的特點. 力學季刊, 2010, 31(2): 186-193.
18.	Prilutsky B I, Parker J, Cymbalyuk G S, et al. Emergence of extreme paw accelerations during cat paw shaking: interactions of spinal central pattern generator, hindlimb mechanics and muscle length-depended feedback. Front Integr Neurosci, 2022, 16: 810139.
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23.	汪震東, 張艷. 四旋翼無人機預測-PID復合控制研究. 控制工程, 2021, 28(7): 1390-1397.
24.	陸薇, 譚英麗, 王文君, 等. 一種基于STM32單片機的手部運動機能康復訓練系統設計. 現代信息科技, 2024, 8(5): 59-63.
25.	余歡樂, 方永鋒. 基于模糊自整定PID的溫室溫度控制系統設計及仿真. 江蘇農業科學, 2016, 44(12): 383-386.
26.	黃瀟, 唐求, 周朝霞, 等. 用于生物電阻抗譜測量的程控寬頻恒流源設計. 電子測量與儀器學報, 2021, 35(4): 145-153.
27.	文家昌. 基于LabVIEW機器視覺的產品檢測平臺設計與應用. 上海: 華南理工大學, 2012.
28.	Asadi A R, Erfanian A. Adaptive neuro-fuzzy sliding mode control of multi-joint movement using intraspinal microstimulation. IEEE Trans Neural Syst Rehabil Eng, 2012, 20(4): 499-509.
29.	侯潤宇. 脊髓硬膜外電刺激對步行CPG可塑性的影響. 北京: 中國人民解放軍醫學院, 2014.
30.	肖碩勤, 賈貴軍. 腦機接口聯合電刺激用于脊髓損傷后康復治療的研究進展. 國際神經病學神經外科學雜志, 2025, 52(3): 66-72.
31.	Ali Eisha, Kamran Sheza, Asad Ali Ahmed Cheema, et al. Brain-computer interfaces in post-stroke rehabilitation: a neurotechnological leap toward functional recovery. Ann Med Surg, 2025, 87(11): 7784-7785.

1. Hassan Z, Hadian R M, Hussain A S, et al. Comparison of the conjunct effects of electrical stimulation and whole-body vibration therapy with transcranial direct current stimulation and whole-body vibration therapy on balance and function in children with spastic cerebral palsy. Cureus, 2024, 16(6): e61511.
2. Emilia A, Monica P, Elisabetta P, et al. Changes in leg cycling muscle synergies after training augmented by functional electrical stimulation in subacute stroke survivors: a pilot study. J Neuroeng Rehabil, 2020, 17: 35.
3. Kapadia N, Moineau B, Popovic M R. Functional electrical stimulation therapy for retraining reaching and grasping after spinal cord injury and stroke. Front Neurosci, 2020, 14: 718.
4. Zhuo L, Jingwei G, Ruidong G, et al. Rehabilitation effect of core muscle training combined with functional electrical stimulation on lower limb motor and balance functions. J Back Musculoskelet, 2023, 37(2): 347-354.
5. Mizrahi J. Review on fatigue in muscles by functional electrical stimulation. Crit Rev Phys Rehabil Med, 2017, 29(1-4): 103-142.
6. Olusola M I, Azah N H, Khairi A W A, et al. Quadriceps mechanomyography reflects muscle fatigue during electrical stimulus-sustained standing in adults with spinal cord injury-a proof of concept. Biomed Tech, 2020, 65(2): 165-174.
7. Shahdoost S, Frost S B, Guggenmos D J, et al. A brain-spinal interface (BSI) system-on-chip (SoC) for closed-loop cortically-controlled intraspinal microstimulation. Analog Integr Circuits Signal Process, 2018, 95: 1-16.
8. Sunshine M D, Ganji C N, Fuller D D, et al. Respiratory resetting elicited by single pulse spinal stimulation. Respir Physiol Neurobiol, 2020, 274: 103339.
9. Pikov V, McCreery DB, Han M. Intraspinal stimulation with a silicon-based 3D chronic microelectrode array for bladder voiding in cats. J Neural Eng, 2020, 17(6): 065004.
10. Omar T, Martin D H, Sean F, et al. In-vivo testing of a novel wireless intraspinal microstimulation interface for restoration of motor function following spinal cord injury. Artif Organs, 2023, 48(3): 263-273.
11. Amirali T, Everaert D G, Perlmutter S I, et al. Functional organization of motor networks in the lumbosacral spinal cord of non-human primates. Sci Rep, 2019, 9(1): 13539.
12. Andreas R, Salif K, Robin D, et al. Activity-dependent spinal cord neuromodulation rapidly restores trunk and leg motor functions after complete paralysis. Nat Med, 2022, 28(2): 260-271.
13. Holinski B J, Mazurek K A, Everaert D G, et al. Intraspinal microstimulation produces over-ground walking in anesthetized cats. J Neural Eng, 2016, 13(5): 056016.
14. Rouhani E, Erfanian A. Block-based robust control of stepping using intraspinal microstimulation. J Neural Eng, 2018, 15(4): 046026.
15. Arash S H, Ehsan S Z, Navid E, et al. Musculoskeletal modeling and control of the lower limb in cycling using an optimal central pattern generator. IJST-T Mech Eng, 2023, 47(3): 1121-1130.
16. Su H, Jing L, Lv D, et al. Central pattern generators in spinal cord injury: mechanisms, modulation, and therapeutic strategies for motor recovery. JOR spine, 2025, 8(3): e70100.
17. 董瑋, 王如彬, 張志康. 探討生物體節律性步態運動的特點. 力學季刊, 2010, 31(2): 186-193.
18. Prilutsky B I, Parker J, Cymbalyuk G S, et al. Emergence of extreme paw accelerations during cat paw shaking: interactions of spinal central pattern generator, hindlimb mechanics and muscle length-depended feedback. Front Integr Neurosci, 2022, 16: 810139.
19. Shen X, Wang X, Lu S, et al. Research on the real-time control system of lower-limb gait movement based on motor imagery and central pattern generator. Biomed Signal Process Control, 2022, 71: 102803.
20. Deniz K, Gonca K O, Guoyuan L, et al. Locomotion control of a biomimetic robotic fish based on closed loop sensory feedback CPG model. J Mar Eng Technol, 2019, 20(2): 125-137.
21. Xiaoyan S, Tinghui S, Zhiling L, et al. Generation of locomotor like activity using monopolar intraspinal electrical microstimulation in rats. Exp Ther Med, 2023, 26(6): 560.
22. Heravi M A Y, Maghooli K, Rahatabad F N, et al. Cortico-spinal neural interface to restore hindlimb movements in spinally-injured rabbits. Neurophysiology, 2020, 52: 375-387.
23. 汪震東, 張艷. 四旋翼無人機預測-PID復合控制研究. 控制工程, 2021, 28(7): 1390-1397.
24. 陸薇, 譚英麗, 王文君, 等. 一種基于STM32單片機的手部運動機能康復訓練系統設計. 現代信息科技, 2024, 8(5): 59-63.
25. 余歡樂, 方永鋒. 基于模糊自整定PID的溫室溫度控制系統設計及仿真. 江蘇農業科學, 2016, 44(12): 383-386.
26. 黃瀟, 唐求, 周朝霞, 等. 用于生物電阻抗譜測量的程控寬頻恒流源設計. 電子測量與儀器學報, 2021, 35(4): 145-153.
27. 文家昌. 基于LabVIEW機器視覺的產品檢測平臺設計與應用. 上海: 華南理工大學, 2012.
28. Asadi A R, Erfanian A. Adaptive neuro-fuzzy sliding mode control of multi-joint movement using intraspinal microstimulation. IEEE Trans Neural Syst Rehabil Eng, 2012, 20(4): 499-509.
29. 侯潤宇. 脊髓硬膜外電刺激對步行CPG可塑性的影響. 北京: 中國人民解放軍醫學院, 2014.
30. 肖碩勤, 賈貴軍. 腦機接口聯合電刺激用于脊髓損傷后康復治療的研究進展. 國際神經病學神經外科學雜志, 2025, 52(3): 66-72.
31. Ali Eisha, Kamran Sheza, Asad Ali Ahmed Cheema, et al. Brain-computer interfaces in post-stroke rehabilitation: a neurotechnological leap toward functional recovery. Ann Med Surg, 2025, 87(11): 7784-7785.

Journal of Biomedical Engineering

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