A programmable system of functional electrical stimulation (FES).

The development of a novel system intended to perform functional electrical stimulation (FES) is presented. A virtual instrument developed in Labview communicates with a PC through USB and controls the hardware compound of analog and digital circuits. The block diagram of the hardware and the main characteristics of the virtual instrument are presented, as well the results of the electrical safety tests and the errors associated to the programmed and real values of the amplitude, pulse width and frequency of the output current. The results point the equipment can be used in the therapy of paraplegic patients maintaining safety limits reported in the literature.