Eliminating pain-induced risks of operator reliability via transcutaneous electroneurostimulation controlled by Patient's breathing

• Published in: International journal of industrial ergonomics Vol. 68; pp. 256 - 259
• Main Authors: Fedotchev, Alexander, Kruk, Vladimir, Oh, Sang Joon, Semikin, Gennady
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01-11-2018; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Analgesics; Automatic control; Breathing; Equipment testing; Feedback control; Human-automation interaction; Human-computer interaction; Man machine systems; Medical devices; Medical electronics; Medical equipment; Medical technology; Musculoskeletal diseases; Musculoskeletal disorders and pain; Noninvasive brain stimulation; Operator reliability; Pain; Patients; Reliability analysis; Reliability aspects; Respiration; Human-automation interaction; Noninvasive brain stimulation; Operator reliability; Feedback control; Breathing; Musculoskeletal disorders and pain
• ISSN: 0169-8141; 1872-8219
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ergon.2018.08.004

The negative aspect of interactions in the man-machine systems is the formation of professional pain syndromes and musculoskeletal disorders that reduce the reliability of human operator and require prompt treatment. The paper analyzes the possibility of using the positive aspect of bidirectional human-machine interaction for such treatment. In particular, the approach to analgesic electroneurostimulation is proposed in which the interaction between the patient and the medical device is mediated through feedback signals from the patient's breathing rate. It provides automatic control of the parameters of the stimulating current in accordance with own physiological rhythm of the patient. Positive results of pilot testing of the technology in the conditions close to clinical are presented.
•Professional pain syndromes reduce the reliability of human operator and require prompt treatment.•Pronounced effects are shown using analgesic electroneurostimulation automatically controlled by patient's breathing.•Proposed and tested approach may be used for elimination of the risks of specialist functional reliability induced by pain.