Prosthetic Pacing Device for Unilateral Facial Paralysis

Facial pacing ultimately aims at improving the quality of life of people suffering from unilateral facial paralysis. A device to study facial pacing is presented. It is able to measure electromyography signals from the healthy side of the face and simultaneously activate the corresponding muscles on the paralyzed side with electrical stimulation. Tests with healthy participants are ongoing and clinical studies are to be started soon. Four measurement and four stimulation channels of the device enable studying different electrode configurations and stimulation patterns for recognizing and reanimating symmetrical facial expressions in the future. Preliminary testing with ten healthy volunteers showed average partial activation threshold of 2.50 mA (± 0.47 mA) and 3.00 mA (± 0.67 mA) for orbicularis oculi and orbicularis oris muscles, respectively, and full eye closure threshold of 4.45 mA (± 0.69 mA).