Résumé
We have developed the first hardware and software elements to provide an implanted FES system based on networked stimulation units. They embed advanced analogue circuits to provide multi-polar and multi-phasic stimulation profiles, and numeric circuits to ensure safety, to locally execute programmed profiles, to support remote configuration and control communications). This architecture needs only for a 2-wire bus to communicate whatever the number of poles of the driven electrode is. Moreover the bus will provide energy. This structure is then easy to implant in the way that a single 2-wire cable needs to be linked from one unit to the next. The configuration can evolve adding new stimulation units in further surgical sessions. In the same time each unit will offer a wide variety of stimulation profiles on multipolar electrodes opening a wide research and application areas.