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Improving wearability and testing a non-invasive electrical stimulation system for eye blink restoration
Paralysis of the eyelid is associated with significant blink inefficiency that can lead to dry eye symptoms with keratitis, corneal abrasion, and possible progression to loss of vision. A non-invasive electrical stimulation wearable can be used to artificially restore eye blinking in unilateral facial paralysis and improve quality of daily life.
Unilateral facial paralysis is a condition in which one side of the face functions normally while functions on the other side are impaired and in which the face may look asymmetrical at rest. The most common form of unilateral facial paralysis is Bell’s palsy[1]. Non-invasive electrical stimulation can be used to target facial muscles such as the orbicularis oculi muscle that control eye blinking[2], [3] as well as the facial nerve that can maintain overall facial muscle tone[4], [5]. The development of a wearable system that is able to sense healthy blinks and stimulate s synchronous artificial blink would take steps towards the development of a complete system for restoring facial function.
Unilateral facial paralysis is a condition in which one side of the face functions normally while functions on the other side are impaired and in which the face may look asymmetrical at rest. The most common form of unilateral facial paralysis is Bell’s palsy[1]. Non-invasive electrical stimulation can be used to target facial muscles such as the orbicularis oculi muscle that control eye blinking[2], [3] as well as the facial nerve that can maintain overall facial muscle tone[4], [5]. The development of a wearable system that is able to sense healthy blinks and stimulate s synchronous artificial blink would take steps towards the development of a complete system for restoring facial function.
The student will be guided in understanding the concepts of non-invasive stimulation as well as the effects of unilateral facial paralysis. They will also be introduced to state of the art of neuroprostheses with scientific literature readings, and our existing muscle and nerve stimulation system. An existing system for restoring blink in unilateral facial paralysis, NEURO-BLINK, has been developed in the Neuroengineering Lab.
The major goals (mandatory) for the student will be:
1. Develop a wearable system that includes all existing components of the system including real-time detection on the impaired side and synchronized stimulation on the healthy side.
2. Test on patients and volunteers to obtain a statistical meaningful description of cause-effect
The student will be guided in understanding the concepts of non-invasive stimulation as well as the effects of unilateral facial paralysis. They will also be introduced to state of the art of neuroprostheses with scientific literature readings, and our existing muscle and nerve stimulation system. An existing system for restoring blink in unilateral facial paralysis, NEURO-BLINK, has been developed in the Neuroengineering Lab. The major goals (mandatory) for the student will be: 1. Develop a wearable system that includes all existing components of the system including real-time detection on the impaired side and synchronized stimulation on the healthy side. 2. Test on patients and volunteers to obtain a statistical meaningful description of cause-effect
Lauren Chee, PhD Student at the Neuroengineering laboratory, Email: lauren.chee@hest.ethz.ch
Dr. Andrea Cimolato, PostDoc at the Neuroengineering laboratory, Email: andrea.cimolato@hest.ethz.ch
Dr. Stanisa Raspopovic, Assistant Professor Neuroengineering laboratory, Head ETH Zurich, Switzerland Email: stanisa.raspopovic@hest.ethz.ch
Lauren Chee, PhD Student at the Neuroengineering laboratory, Email: lauren.chee@hest.ethz.ch Dr. Andrea Cimolato, PostDoc at the Neuroengineering laboratory, Email: andrea.cimolato@hest.ethz.ch Dr. Stanisa Raspopovic, Assistant Professor Neuroengineering laboratory, Head ETH Zurich, Switzerland Email: stanisa.raspopovic@hest.ethz.ch