A Robust Adaptive Auto-Tuner For Artificially Stimulated Muscles

Abstract

Natural biological control involves the normal functioning of the living organism (i.e. human body) to regulate its parameters such that the vital functions are kept within the normal operating range. When this natural control fails, the biological feedback becomes unstable, operating under non-optimal conditions of the subjects vital capacity. In this context, ensuring the subjects nominal surviving capacity requires artificial control of the vital functions. Nowadays technology enables the development of artificial closed-loop devices to correct and provide the normal functions of the organism, thus replacing the damaged parts or helping to recover their natural properties. These procedures are called rehabilitation techniques. By applying electrical impulses to the appropriate muscles, control of paralyzed limb muscles can be achieved. A robust self-adaptive auto-tuning control strategy is proposed for correction and rehabilitation of paralyzed muscles. Re-tuning of the
controller parameters with respect to changes in muscle parameters preserves the closed-loop stability.