Electrical Engineering Students' Graduation Project Wins First Place in Foot Drop Treatment

 Under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Yousif Ismail Al Mashhadany, Director of the Medical Engineering Research Center, and Dr. Mohanad A. Al-Askari, the graduation project of Electrical Engineering students from the College of Engineering at the University of Anbar won first place. The project involved designing an innovative device to treat foot drop, a neuromuscular condition that causes an inability to lift the front part of the foot, which hinders walking and increases the risk of falls.

The students, Ahmed Alaa Kamil, Mohammed Jamal Hamed, and Muamen Adel Aliwi, worked on designing a creative modification unit based on Electromyography (EMG) signals captured from the patient's leg muscles. The system stimulates the affected muscles using Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) signals to restore normal foot movement during walking and improve mobility.

The project involved a detailed study of the affected muscles, such as the anterior tibialis and long peroneal muscles, and identifying key EMG signals that reflect the activity of these muscles during movement. A device was designed to capture these signals with high accuracy using surface electrodes and process them to provide electrical stimulation aimed at activating the affected muscles.

Additionally, the signals generated by the movements of the ankle joint were calibrated and compared with wrist joint movements to adjust the signals sent to the device. In the final stage, the system was converted into a wearable device that the patient can wear while walking, with training provided to ensure optimal usage and achieve the best results in restoring walking ability.

This project aims to improve the quality of life for patients by providing an innovative solution that helps them regain normal walking ability, reflecting creativity in the use of medical technology to address neuromuscular challenges.