Smart Textiles for the delivery of neuromuscular electrical stimulation therapy (NMES)

Up to half of patients with COVID-19 requiring mechanical ventilation in an intensive care unit (ICU) will develop ICU-Acquired Weakness (ICUAW). Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) holds promise to both prevent and treat ICUAW. NMES applies electrical impulses to muscles through electrodes placed on the skin to induce muscle contractions, and is highly effective in maintaining muscle mass and strength following limb injury, when loading and exercise is limited. In the intensive care unit (ICU), use of NMES therapy is not possible because it is resource-intensive, requiring constant monitoring by a therapist and because current protocols are not designed for patients that are unresponsive.
The proposed research will explore potential biosignals for the automation of delivery of NMES therapy in the ICU and their integration into smart textiles for NMES delivery.

Faculty Supervisor:

Sunita Mathur;Jane Batt

Student:

Meghana Sharma

Partner:

Conveyor Built

Discipline:

Medicine

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

University of Toronto