Some people may experience a partial decrease of muscle strength or weakness on a side of the body following a stroke, called hemiparesis. Day-to-day activities can become much more challenging with the loss of some hand fine motor skills.
To provide aid to people who experience paresis, Utah NeuroRobotics Lab researchers have developed a neural interface, paired with an orthotic device, that can aid their hand and wrist movements.
The neural interface sends signals from the device to the brain and back to the device, allowing patients to use the device more intuitively and naturally.
A goal of the neural interface and exoskeleton project is to “investigate the potential of this neural controlled orthotic to improve the quality of life for people who’ve suffered a stroke,” Caden Hamrick, ECE Ph.D., said.
The clinical trial is being led by Leonardo Ferrisi (BME Ph.D.), building on the work of Caleb Thomson (BME Ph.D.) Hamrick is supporting the trial.
The clinical trial is result of work by several Utah NeuroRobotics Lab researchers over a long period of time, moving forward under a $940,000 contract signed by the lab.
The Utah NeuroRobotics Lab has about five-year history of working with the devices with four patients who has suffered a stroke.
The project is also being conducted in a collaboration with the Craig H. Neilsen Rehabilitation Hospital.
During the clinical trial, about 40 to 60 patients who live in Utah and from the surrounding areas will be using the device in real-world settings.
Participants will be using the device for the clinical trial for multiple months.
This is a large group for such a clinical trial and is a testament to the work of the researchers at the Utah NeuroRobotics Lab to make an assistive neural interface that works with an orthotic device.
Previous published studies of combining neural technology and orthotic device have only worked with the healthy and not among patients who suffered a stroke. Thus, this clinical trial represents a milestone for transforming and improving care for patients with hemiparesis.
The participants will take the device home and use it and then report back to the Utah NeuroRobotics Lab and the Craig H. Neilsen Rehabilitation Hospital on how well the neural interface and the orthotic helps them accomplish for everyday tasks.
A goal of the clinical trial is to help patients be able to do very fine movements with the orthosis in addition to the gross movements that have been more common with other devices. This expands functionality for the patients.
Patients in the clinical will work with multiple occupational therapists to help translate the functionality in a home setting over a controlled lab setting.
This clinical trial also establishes a greater connection between the Utah NeuroRobotics Lab and the Craig H. Neilsen Rehabilitation Hospital.