NSF Convergence Accelerator: Track H: Restoring Arm Function with Connected Assistance and Rehabilitation Systems

Harvard University, Cambridge MA

Investigators

Abstract

This project, Convergence Accelerator Track H: Restoring Arm Function After Stroke (RAFAS) will develop and translate a cloud-connected, soft, wearable rehabilitation and assistance platform to restore arm function and independence for stroke survivors, veterans, and others with upper limb disability. At the heart of the development process are stroke survivors, caregivers, occupational therapists, physical therapists, neurologists, and clinicians. The vision of restoring arm function after stroke through new wearable technology is well beyond the scope of a single-investigator proposal. These communities are engaged via focus groups, development testing, formal protocols, and clinical feasibility testing to maximize the translation potential of this technology. RAFAS will enable a paradigm shift from the current ‘in clinic’ model of rehabilitation to one of remote physical rehabilitation for persons with upper limb disability. RAFAS’ broadening participation goal is to attract, train and mentor the next generation of rehabilitation and assistive technology innovators focused on use-inspired research while accelerating knowledge integration and communication across traditional boundaries. Primary attention will be placed on students and faculty who identify as racial/ethnic minorities, or are female, veterans or persons with disabilities. RAFAS engages PWDs via a Patient Advisory Board, a research webinar series, and workshops and panels that bring together engineering students with persons with disabilities to discuss challenges and opportunities for technology development. RAFAS supports hackathons, with industry panels focused on bringing assistive technology to market and undergraduate and graduate students via research experiences and mentoring. Finally, outreach events targeted to female high school students and focused on occupational therapy will encourage broader participation in the fields of assistive and rehabilitation technology. The primary Phase I deliverables are: a minimal viable prototype of a wearable, adaptive antigravity support to the upper limb that can be used in the home; estimation and control algorithms using wearable sensors for remote assessment and individualized assistance; a software app enabling independent use by patients and therapists and a gap analysis to determine research and development goals in Phase II to enable eventual translation. Phase II work will entail optimizing the technology based on feedback from stakeholders and at-home pilots in Phase I and running a larger remote telerehabilitation study to generate evidence of improved outcomes and enable integration of remote rehabilitation into the new insurance landscape. RAFAS brings to this effort a combination of skills and expertise spanning: (1) the ability to create lightweight and flexible soft wearable robots that can apply significant assistance without adding restrictions; (2) the understanding of how to extract important clinic metrics from noisy, raw wearable sensor data; (3) the foundational knowledge of rehabilitation science and the most effective arm movements to encourage and support occupational therapy/physical therapy; and (4) the capability to establish an integrated experimental framework with human subjects to guide ongoing technical development. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.