Publication
Facial nerve palsy results in the inability to control facial muscles, including the Orbicularis Oculi, which is the main muscle enabling the blinking action. Blinking is not only important for responding socially to other humans, it is also essential for lubricating the cornea. Without lubrication, loss of vision or eye infections may occur. Current procedures for patients are not always adequate, and there is a real need for more appropriate solutions. This study presents a novel design for a prosthesis that enables the restoration of eye-blinking abilities in patients with paralysis. The prosthesis consists of an artificial muscle, namely a dielectric elastomer actuator (DEA), used in conjunction with a bistable negative-rate biasing system (NBS). The prosthesis along with a realistic and anatomically precise eyelid are fabricated and characterized. The specifications in terms of stroke, force and frequency, including opening and closing time of the eyelid, are reached and a natural blinking movement is achieved, with a resulting displacement of the artificial eyelid of 2.5 mm, showing that the use of a DEA with a NBS is a promising approach for the restoration of blinking in the treatment of facial paralysis.