A Portable Functional Electrical Stimulation Device for Walking Motion Modification

To support gaits for users with osteoarthritis of the knee, a novel portable functional electrical stimulation device is developed for walking motion modification. In the proposed device, a pressure sensor is installed under the center of the user’s calcaneus to detect the initial phase of stance during the walking cycle, and electrical stimulation causes eccentric contraction of the quadriceps muscle, which contributes to shock absorption in the knee joint. According to experimental results, the effectiveness of the proposed device with high clinical value is confirmed.