Electrostimulation Using Smart Materials

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Electrostimulation Using Smart Materials
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Electrostimulation of muscles?It works?!?!?!

• Products in the market today that you can use to
  electrically stimulate your muscles.
• Yes, it really does work.
• Currently used on paraplegic patients and stroke
  patients to reduce muscle atrophy of denervated
  muscles.
• Used to repair damaged muscles.

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Why is it so cool to use in a microgravity
environment?

• Reduces muscle atrophy by transforming Type II
  muscles to Type I muscles.
• Increases bone density and strengthens joints.
• Increases blood flow.
• Reduces Orthostatic Intolerance upon return to
  Earth.

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Well, is it safe?

• Study on MIR Space Station in 1998-99.
• Four skeletal muscle groups stimulated for 6
  hours a day at 20-30 of maximum tetanic force
  using transcutaneous electrodes.
• Synchronous activation of muscles to prevent
  unwanted joint movement.
• Comfortable and doesnt interfere with daily
  activities.

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Trousers with electrodes used for the MIR study
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Cosmonaut on MIR wearing the electrostimulating
trousers
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Piezoelectric materials

• Piezoelectricy meaning Pressure Electricity
• Converts mechanical energy into electric energy
  or vice versa

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Manufacture of Piezoelectric materials

• The orientation of crystallites are set in the
  same direction when an electric field is applied
• The material is then poled in the direction of
  the electric field

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Design

• Piezoelectric Material
• PZT
• PVDF
• Elastic Material
• Electrodes
• Protective Foil

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Test Methods

• Human test subjects
• Voltmeter/multimeter
• Relating data to past experiments

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Budget

• 6 month study, summer and fall terms
• 2 graduate students 1 Mechanical Engineering, 1
  Bioengineering
• Supplies piezoelectric materials, electronics,
  and other supplies
• Consultant Costs Dr. Susan Trolier-McKinstry
  (Penn State), Dr. Dennis Polla (Univ. of
  Minnesota), and Dr. Winfried Mayr (Univ. of
  Vienna)
• 92887.78