Help with the OpenFES Project

[mattblan]

Originally Posted by shoc13

Matt,

R u still leaning toward doing a FES rowing machine or did u decide a bike?

Shawn,

I really want to do a rowing machine, but I have this scifit power trainer II basic in my garage that is just screaming for FES. Once we get the stim unit and software finished, converting from cycling to rowing should be quite easy.

I know you were planning on getting a FES system and that you were currently using a portable unit to do leg exercises. Did you end up getting a bike?

[mattblan]

Originally Posted by Curt Leatherbee

Have you thought about speaking with Steven Petrofsky at all Matt? He is the father of FES. I believe he works for Cincinatti State University at this point. Sounds like your making some good progress... I do still have a copy of the Electrologic Orion Manual, but it takes forever to scan on my fax machine. I dont think its really going to tell you a lot about the super technical stuff, just pad locations and that type of thing.

Curt,

My friend's father worked with Petrofsky for many years so I am hoping to make contact with the man using that avenue. I did speak with one of Petrofsky's colleagues about FES rowing. He seemed to be focused on finding someone to do a clinical trial for his own manual fire FES rowing machine. After I mentioned we were not a medical university and not interested in making a profit I never heard from him again.

If you do not have an electronic form of the user's manual, do not worry about it. I can get all the info I need using a multimeter when the donation arrives.

[bikeracer]

Bandit is one ambitious specification Matt, way beyond anything I was putting together!

If you get this put together it should be an awsome bit of kit. I'm still fiddling with my basic unit, I fitted the new AFO's I mentioned but blew the rectifier on the stim unit so I didn't get to test this weekend. I will fix this by next weekend and give it a try.

Awsome work, looking foward to seeing the stim circuitry you come up with, as I think it will be a lot better than mine looking at the kit list!

BR

[S0crates9]

Obviously heading into a PT regimen can be tough. Even though some therapists recommend recouping using a treadmill, I have to say I prefer the elliptical machines for a soft recovery.

I've also tried other upper body exercise machines to improve the feeling from my back, but I've yet to find anything better than stretches and laying down in bed...

[disco01]

my butt is disappearing at record pace. hows the progress going?

i live in sioux falls, sd[pop.125,000] and no fes bikes anywhere around

here. its crazy knowing that this is going to kill me and i cant do shit

about it. sioux valley hosptl got 400mil donation and they said no to

buying one.

[bikeracer]

Hey disco01,

I havent seen an update from matt in a while, so not sure how his project is coming along. I'm also working on a FES cycling project which i am determined to finish before its two year aniversary in april 2009. Its almost there I'm just having issues with time / interest / procrastination.

BR

[Nightmare]

I dont think its really going to tell you a lot about the super technical stuff....

[bikeracer]

Nightmare,

What super technical stuff are you referring to?

FES in its basic form is fairly simple in that it just requires a mono-phasic(or bi-phasic) electrical pulse at the correct pulse width (duration), frequency and power (volts / milliamps) to stim the muscle group.

I have a fully working 6 channel FES unit built, but admittedly it is version 4 and I still keep fiddling rater than just locking down the specification. I have also built and tested the ergometer (set of pedals). I have also written the control program for the FES unit.

I just need to get my ass in gear and try it out, which is proving more of a challenge than designing the thing in the first place!!

I suspect it will not work first time out, and in some ways this is probably why I have lost a little interest - the fear of failing - but not completing it is just as bad so I will get it done in the near future.

BR

[mattblan]

What's up! Forgive me for not posting, I barely survived finals. The OpenFES project is alive and well. We are looking at adding a new engineer during the break. This semester is the first one with an advisor, so my grade is actually on the line now. We have been blessed with a few more donations. Most notably, a medical grade power supply for our FES unit. I am taking a few days off for the holidays, but I will post some schematics soon.

Bikeracer, have you looked into Labview? It makes data aquisition and control extremely easy. Unfortunately, it is not open source so we cannot use it. I might be able to put you in touch with someone who can get you a copy

We will be done with computer control of the stackable channel FES unit by the end of Spring '09 Semester. The power supply we use can handle up to 10 x 1 channel modules and a decent low power CPU at the same time.

Happy Holidays!

Matt

[bikeracer]

Hey Matt good to see you back!

That Labview looks like a great bit of kit but way to complicated for my simple setup, so I will stick with my home brew software - thanks for the offer of the trial (ahem ) copy of the software.

Have a good new year,

BR