MRI: Development of Instrument on Robot-aided, Cognitive Virtual Rehabilitation for Automatic Physical Training of Individuals with Disabilities (iRAPID)

University Of Alabama Tuscaloosa, Tuscaloosa AL

Investigators

Abstract

Proposal #: 13-35263 PI(s): Hu, Fei Qahouq, Jaber Abu; Brown, David A.; Gray, Jeffrey G.; Tsoupikova, Daria Institution: University of Alabama ? Tuscaloosa Title: MRI/Dev.: Robot-aided, Cognitive Virtual Rehabilitation for Automatic Physical Training of Individuals with Disabilities (iRAPID) Project Proposed: This project, developing iRAPID, a robot-aided cognitive virtual rehabilitation instrument for automatic physical training of individuals with disabilities, integrates several hardware components (the KineAssist robot, programmable treadmill, biomarkers (sensors) and Xbox kinect sensors) to build an augmented virtual reality animation of the patient. A series of newly developed software tools will support virtual rehab research computations of body balancing and neuro-pattern changes during rehab. The instrument will be designed to be suitable for three different cost/performance levels, with successive levels making use of more comprehensive sensors. Combining the sensors (e.g., functional NearInfraRed and EEG brain imaging) with physical rehab mechanisms (e.e., treadmill) make possible interesting research areas related to the effectiveness of physical rehabilitation training. Hence, iRAPID will be a cognitive, research-oriented rehab instrument with automatic, accurate rehab training progress computation. To enable the stated goals, the system should be capable of recording a wealth of sensor measurements. Advancing the next-generation rehab system, the work - Adopts a hierarchical (3 layers), incremental (3 modes) development strategy, - Supports computational rehabilitation research, and - Adopts evolution-oriented software design. Broader Impacts: The instrumentation enables research an education of an exciting new field, Cognitive ElectroBiomedical Systems (CEBS), enables the training in CEEBS of two PhD students, and outreach to minorities. CEBS is a trans-disciplinary (TrD) field has distinguished features compared to multi-disciplinary (MuD) and inter-disciplinary (InD). The authors compare these fields to a cake where different ingredients are not easily distinguishable (TrD) giving a new format product, and a plate of salad that still has clear existence of different ingredients ((InD). The PhD training program will have a training structure included TrD/MuD/InD curriculum and service learning. The Director of Multicultural Engineering Program (MEP) will assist in involving underrepresented students with summer CAMP and K-12 activities. This development is likely to highly contribute within an EPSCoR jurisdiction.