An fMRI Study on the Effects of Electrical Stimulation as Biofeedback

Abstract

Nowadays, the Man-Machine interfaces are becoming more important in our interaction with robotic systems. One particular case is on prosthetic devices, where the need of "biofeedback" is of vital importance to achieve subconscious control of these devices. In order to provide this feedback, so the device can be included into the user's body image, we use electrical stimulation as a substitute for tactile feedback. In this study we analyze the effects of the electrical stimulation together with the intention, provided by the electromyography, for the sensation generation, and its inclusion on the user's body schema. To evaluate our system, we use functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging, to measure the changes in the brain due to the use of an EMG controlled prosthetic hand with electrical stimulation as tactile feedback.