| NSF Org: |
TI Translational Impacts |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | September 12, 2018 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | December 29, 2023 |
| Award Number: | 1827769 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Samir M. Iqbal
smiqbal@nsf.gov (703)292-7529 TI Translational Impacts TIP Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships |
| Start Date: | September 15, 2018 |
| End Date: | August 31, 2024 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $749,999.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $954,567.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
FY 2019 = $16,000.00 FY 2020 = $16,000.00 FY 2021 = $16,000.00 FY 2022 = $16,000.00 FY 2023 = $140,568.00 |
| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
4300 MARTIN LUTHER KING BLVD HOUSTON TX US 77204-3067 (713)743-5773 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
4800 Calhoun Boulevard Houston TX US 77204-2015 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): | PFI-Partnrships for Innovation |
| Primary Program Source: |
01002324DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT 01001819DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT 01001920DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT 01002021DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT 01002122DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT |
| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.084 |
ABSTRACT
The broader impact/commercial potential of this PFI project is to advance the national health by accelerating the development, efficacy and use of brain-controlled robotic rehabilitation after stroke by capitalizing on the benefits of non-invasive brain interfaces that extract information about the patient?s motor intent and the real-time assessment of impairment and recovery of motor function. Stroke is the leading cause of neurological disability in the United States with approximately 795,000 people suffering a stroke each year. Arm paresis is a primary cause of disability because of the limitations it creates in performing activities of daily living (ADL). Approximately 80% of all stroke survivors suffer from upper limb paresis and only 18% of these individuals gain full motor recovery with conventional treatments in the year following stroke. Thus, rehabilitation of the impaired limb is essential for improving ADLs and quality of life after stroke, yet only 31% of stroke survivors receive outpatient rehabilitation. Brain-controlled robotic devices are excellent candidates for engaging the patients and delivering the repetitive and intensive practice stroke survivors require for rehabilitation. Our innovative robotic rehabilitation solution will offer increased efficiency, lower expenses, and new sensing capabilities to the therapist while reducing the socioeconomic burden of disability.
The proposed project addresses a pressing need for accessible, safe and effective stroke rehabilitation devices for in-clinic and at-home use for sustainable long-term therapy, a global market size expected to reach $31B by 2021. Unfortunately, current devices fail to engage the patients, are hard to match to their needs, are costly to use and maintain, or are limited to clinical settings. Our patient-in-the-loop system solution consists of our patented noninvasive brain-robot technology that translates the user's brain activity into motor commands to drive powered, assist-as-needed, upper-limb robotics for stroke rehabilitation. Feedback of performance will be provided to both the patient and the clinician, and stored for monitoring and diagnostics, through a user interface that also serves to provide engaging real-time feedback of task and associated completion performance. System validation will occur in a clinical setting and at home. The Intellectual Merits include addressing the challenges of fault-tolerant system integration, low-cost device prototyping, usability, shared-control, acquiring validation data, and accelerating the translation to the patient for a new class of biomedical devices. The deliverable is an accessible, safe and effective brain-controlled therapeutical robot system that is multi-functional with real-time self-monitoring, self-diagnostics and self-correcting capabilities, and that promotes neurorecovery of function.
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.
PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH
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PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
The overall goal of this project was to advance the national health by accelerating the development, efficacy and use of brain-controlled robotic rehabilitation after stroke by capitalizing on the benefits of non-invasive brain-machine interfaces (BMI) that extract information about the patient's motor intent from brain activity and the real-time assessment of impairment and recovery of motor function. To achieve this goal, we used a patient-centered approach for designing a wireless, low-cost, mobile BMI system (NeuroEXO) for stroke neurorehabilitation at home.
The project has successfully achieved its primary goal, advancing the development of BMIs for stroke neurorehabilitation. A key technical achievement of the project has been the creation of an at-home mobile platform for stroke rehabilitation. Through innovative firmware and software solutions, the NeuroEXO system enables noninvasive monitoring of neural activity and facilitates neurorehabilitation, allowing stroke survivors to engage in their recovery process in a convenient and accessible home environment. Our interdisciplinary team has made significant and innovative contributions to the design, implementation, and validation of this technology, bridging the fields of neuroscience, engineering, and computer science.
Additional achievements include creating a robust experimental platform for collecting and analyzing scalp electroencephalography (EEG) data from chronic stroke participants and developing computational tools to enhance the interpretation of neural signals. A cornerstone of the NeuroEXO project has been its collaboration with TIRR Memorial Hermann, a leading rehabilitation hospital. This partnership enabled early feasibility validation of the NeuroEXO system in participants with chronic stroke in real-world settings in Texas, California and Maryland. The team acquired real world data (RWD) of the usability and performance of the NeuroEXO system in typical use conditions because current robotic rehabilitation devices usually fail to engage and motivate the patients, are hard to match to the patient needs, do not promote motor learning, and are limited to clinical settings. Upon conclusion of the at-home portion of the study, the NeuroEXO devices were retrieved and analyzed for unexpected wear and tear, as well as user's input and physiological data collected. During the validation testing, the technical team captured data generated by the user (via digital questionnaire), headset and the robotic exoskeleton, maintained the NeuroExo system, monitored potential user's errors, and assisted the participant in the case of technical glitches via teleconference or phone. Insights gained from this collaboration have been instrumental in tailoring the system – a minimal viable product – to meet the needs of stroke survivors and clinicians, ensuring practical and impactful applications.
In the final stage of the project, the team conducted additional laboratory and at-home testing in healthy neurologically intact adults to gather additional insights of the usage and performance of the device. Importantly, the NeuroEXO device is one of the first BMI devices enabled with Internet-of-Things (IoT) that makes possible its deployment in non-clinical settings, including communication with IoT-enabled external devices such as computers, spellers, gaming, robotics, and virtual reality (VR) devices.
A core component of the NeuroEXO initiative has been the mentorship and training of emerging researchers. The project has actively engaged undergraduate and graduate students through Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) and Research Experience and Mentoring (REM) programs. These initiatives provided students with hands-on experience in areas such as EEG data collection, signal processing, software development, and neurorehabilitation research. Through the REM program, students received tailored mentorship and guidance to develop technical and professional skills, culminating in presentations at research symposiums and conferences. The REU program introduced undergraduates to cutting-edge research and offered opportunities to co-author publications and work alongside graduate students and postdoctoral researchers.
In addition to their technical training, PhD students in the program expanded their skillsets by taking courses in entrepreneurship. These classes equipped them with knowledge about commercializing scientific innovations, intellectual property management, and startup development, preparing them to translate their research into real-world applications and industry opportunities.
The NeuroEXO project has been showcased at several prominent international conferences, underscoring its impact and relevance in the fields of neuroscience and engineering. The project was featured at the 8th Annual BRAIN Initiative Meeting, highlighting its contributions to noninvasive neurorehabilitation technologies. It was also presented at the 2023 IEEE Conference on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics in Oahu, Hawaii, where its technical innovations and applications in human-machine systems were demonstrated. Additionally, the NeuroEXO was featured at the 2024 Society for Neuroscience Conference in Chicago, IL, where findings from at-home stroke neurorehabilitation experiments were presented, showcasing the system’s potential to improve neuroplasticity and recovery outcomes. The NeuroEXO team was also invited to demonstrate the system at the United Nations’ 2025 AI for Good Summit in Geneva, Switzerland.
To date, the NeuroEXO project has resulted in multiple publications, presentations at international conferences, and ongoing partnerships to expand its applications. This effort highlights the transformative potential of interdisciplinary collaboration in developing practical tools for neurorehabilitation and advancing our understanding of neural connectivity and recovery mechanisms.
Last Modified: 02/11/2025
Modified by: Jose Luis Contreras-Vidal
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