ShEEP Request to upgrade the InMotion Upper Extremity Interactive Therapy System

Providence Va Medical Center, Providence RI

Investigators

Abstract

Stroke affects more than 15,000 Veterans each year, with upper limb paralysis being the most common deficit after stroke. The VA RR&D Center for Neurorestoration and Neurotechnology is a unique collaboration between Providence VAMC, Brown University, Butler Hospital, Lifespan, and Massachusetts General Hospital that unifies researchers and clinicians with the goal of advancing and translating neurotechnology to restore lost function. Through this Shared Equipment Evaluation Program application, we intend to upgrade the InMotion Arm/Hand Interactive Therapy System (formerly the MIT-Manus robotic system) to develop new insights that will improve the recovery of function for Veterans with stroke. The current version of the device at Providence VAMC is significantly outdated (more than 10 years old) and not suitable for clinical or research use. The upgraded device would be used in a new thrust of CfNN research to develop, test, and translate novel neurotechnologies in order to facilitate rehabilitation for Veterans with stroke. Major uses of the upgraded device would include (1) deploying robotic technology to measure upper extremity kinematics in Veterans and others with stroke across the continuum of care (Dr. Hochberg) (2) integrating cortically-controlled brain-computer interfaces with rehabilitation robotics to enable future development of intracortical BCI-enhanced neurorehabilitation for Veterans with upper extremity weakness due to stroke (Dr. Simeral), and (3) using upper extremity robotics to quantify functional effects of transcranial neuromodulation in chronic stroke and combining neuromodulation with robotic behavioral therapy for chronic stroke patients with motor impairment (Dr. Philip). Support to upgrade this device would enable the collection of novel data, integrate and further collaboration around existing neurotechnologies at CfNN, and support the development of novel technologies for neurorestoration within the VHA System.