Sensory modulation systems for improving gait function and/or balance control and related methods

A system for improving sensorimotor function of a patient, the system comprising:

• (a) at least one force and/or pressure sensor associated with at least one lower limb or prosthesis of a patient, wherein the at least one force and/or pressure sensor is configured to detect force and/or pressure information relating to the lower limb or prosthesis and transmit force and/or pressure signals based on the force and/or pressure information;
• (b) at least one motion and/or angle sensor associated with at least one lower limb or prosthesis of a patient, wherein the at least one motion and/or angle sensor is configured to detect motion and/or angle information relating to the lower limb or prosthesis and transmit motion and/or angle signals based on the motion and/or angle information;
• (c) a processor configured to receive the force and/or pressure signals and the motion and/or angle signals, generate a patient-specific virtual biomechanical model based on the force and/or pressure signals and the motion and/or angle signals to generate an estimated center of pressure and a center of gravity, and generate balance stimulation signals based on the estimated center of pressure and the center of gravity;
• (d) at least one sensory stimulation unit disposed on at least one lower limb or prosthesis of the patient, wherein the at least one sensory stimulation unit comprises at least two stimulators that are actuable to provide stimulation to the patient based on the balance stimulation signals;
• and
• (e) a user interface operably coupled to the processor, wherein the user interface is configured to receive information from the processor about the patient-specific virtual biomechanical model and display the patient-specific virtual biomechanical model based on the information from the processor.

A system for improving sensorimotor function of a patient, the system comprising:

• (a) a first footpad unit comprising a first footpad comprising at least one first force and/or pressure sensor positionable under a first foot or prosthetic foot of a first lower limb or prosthesis of a patient, and a second footpad unit comprising a second footpad comprising at least one second force and/or pressure sensor positionable under a second foot or prosthetic foot of a second lower limb or prosthesis of the patient, wherein each of the at least one first and second force and/or pressure sensors are configured to detect force and/or pressure information relating to the first and second lower limbs or prostheses, respectively, and transmit force and/or pressure signals based on the force and/or pressure information;
• (b) first and second sensor processing modules comprising at least one first motion and/or angle sensor associated with the first lower limb or prosthesis of the patient, third and fourth sensor processing modules comprising at least one second motion and/or angle sensor associated with the second lower limb or prosthesis of the patient, and a fifth sensor processing module comprising at least one third motion and/or angle sensor associated with a lower back of the patient, wherein each of the at least one first, second, and third motion and/or angle sensors is configured to detect motion and/or angle information and transmit motion and/or angle signals based on the motion and/or angle information;
• (c) a processor configured to receive the force and/or pressure signals and the motion and/or angle signals, generate a patient-specific virtual biomechanical model based on the force and/or pressure signals and the motion and/or angle signals to generate an estimated center of pressure and a center of gravity, and generate balance stimulation signals based on the estimated center of pressure and the center of gravity;
• (d) at least one sensory stimulation unit disposed on at least one lower limb or prosthesis of the patient, wherein the at least one sensory stimulation unit comprises at least two stimulators that are actuable to provide stimulation to the patient based on the balance stimulation signals;
• and
• (e) a user interface operably coupled to the processor, wherein the user interface is configured to receive information from the processor about the patient-specific virtual biomechanical model and display the patient-specific virtual biomechanical model based on the information from the processor.