From Crash-B world championship:

I thought this was a particularly new way to use the indoor rowing machine.
If anyone out there has more information on this that would be great.

"Adaptive rowing was given a spotlight when four British competitors rowed on very tricked out ergs that provided electric stimulus to their quads on the drive, and to their hamstrings on the recovery, creating the impulse for the back and forth of the rowing motion. If I get it right (their coach/trainer is a British academic, and had the accented mumble to match), each charge was 150 volts of electricity – not inconsequential. "

Xeno Muller, Olympic gold and silver medalist, indoor rowing, rowing technique.