Design and Construction of Electronic Muscle Stimulator (EMS)
Nnenna Harmony Nwobodo Nzeribe
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Basic Medical Science, Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu State, Nigeria.
Calistus C. Chukwu
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Basic Medical Science, Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu State, Nigeria.
Eneh S. Afam *
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Basic Medical Science, Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu State, Nigeria.
Segun B. Abioye
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Basic Medical Science, Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu State, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The project is titled Design and Construction of Electronic Muscle Stimulator (EMS) with embedded time Display unit and Dual Source of Powering. The EMS is a type of electrotherapy device that functions by stimulating muscle contraction using electrical impulses to strengthen weak muscles, reduce swelling, aid in blood circulations that helps to heal wounds. These impulses are generated by the device and deliver through electrode pads over the area that requires stimulation. The impulses from EMS mimic the action potential (the stimulus required to contract the muscle) that naturally comes from central nervous system (CNS). Proteus, software simulation Library was used to simulate the components and to understand the behaviour of the output stage. After that, hardware components were assembled together that gave rise to this EMS apparatus. Designing of the device was completed with different modes tagged Press, Thump, Rub, and vibrate with frequencies 40Hz, 20Hz, 10Hz, and 3Hz respectively. The project was completed and human experiment was carried and result showed that decrease in impedances brings increase in current intensity.
Keywords: Electrical impulses, muscle contractions, impedances