On Wednesday, May 27th, at 10:00, Parisa Nezafat will present his thesis proposal titled "Electrode and current distribution for optimal target selectivity in electrical stimulation".

The presentation will be online. Please join through the Teams link below.

Teams link here

• Student: Parisa Nezafat
• Supervisor: Þorður Helgason

Committee

• Dr. Winfried Mayr, Prof. Medical University of Vienna, Centrum for Physics and Biomedical Engineering
• Dr. Kristinn Andersen, Prof. University of Iceland, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Abstract:

Electrical stimulation is a technique for artificially activating nerves and muscles that can be used to rehabilitate or restore lost motor functions, such as in patients with brain or spinal cord injuries. Apart from selectively activating motor nerves and muscles, electrical stimulation activates sensory fibers and pain receptors and causes discomfort and pain. The aim of this project is to develop a method to choose the best place to place electrode arrays on the human skin during electrical stimulation. By optimizing the location of the electrodes, the input current can be minimized. Medical engineers try to minimize discomfort by optimizing electrode location, electrode size, and current intensity. We use an electrical stimulation model consisting of a finite element model to evaluate the effect of different electrode sizes, positions, and current intensity on selectivity. Also, the electrical properties of materials play an important role in the finite element modeling process. High accuracy in the 3D computer model of the finite elements obtained is important in order to get an accurate electromagnetic analysis and current distribution in the body. This, in turn, gives a possibility to evaluate the effectiveness of the electrode setup. This research and development will lead to the creation of new computational frameworks for planning and optimizing nerve stimulation therapy, advances in clinical safety protocols, and the design of personalized treatment planning tools.