This initiative, is in continuity on with the recent participation of a team of Politecnico di Milano to CYBATHLON 2020 Global Edition www.cybathlon.ethz.ch. CYBATHLON is a unique championship in which people with physical disabilities compete against each other to complete everyday tasks using cutting-edge technical assistance systems. This competition is organized by ETH Zurich since 2016 and foresees six disciplines: Brain-Computer Interface, Functional Electrical Stimulation Bike (FES Bike), Powered Arm Prosthesis, Powered Leg Prosthesis, Powered Exoskeleton, Powered Wheelchair. Specifically, the initiative aims to take part to the FES Bike Race, in which a pilot with complete paraplegia pedals on a passive trike exploiting his/her own paralyzed muscles through the use of Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES). FES is a well-known technique which consists to apply trains of electrical stimuli through surface electrodes placed over the skin in order to induce muscle contractions. Through this technology, people with complete Spinal Cord Injury can come back pedaling autonomously using their own legs. Within this framework, FES bike can become a model of Sport / Therapy, with huge psycho-physical benefits for people with SCI. The initiative aims to optimize the prototype developed during the first edition in terms of:

- Mechanics of pedaling, assessing alternative trikes both commercial and custom-designed;

- Stimulation strategy, in order to maximize the power output and at the same time postponing the onset of muscle fatigue;

- Hardware of the control system, which has to become more robust, faster and smaller;

- Interface between the trike and the pilot. The actual prototype should be also enriched with sensors to measure pedal forces in real time and cardio-respiratory measures in order to better assess training performance. This duration has been chosen in order to allow the students both to have an active role in the optimization of the prototype and to participate to the "CYBATHLON Series and Experiences", which will be organizing while waiting for the next Global Edition foreseen in 2024. The activity will be organized in project works performed in three groups of four students each and bimonthly meetings with the tutors for suggestions and updates about the status of the development.