I-Corps: A tool for increased accuracy in analysis of patient outcomes during neuromuscular rehabilitation

这个i-Corps项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是开发适应性物理治疗和锻炼设备，这些设备可供具有不同身体能力的个人使用。有行动能力障碍的人，如神经肌肉疾病、脊髓损伤和中风，在定期进行急需的物理治疗和锻炼方面存在很大差距。一旦建议的技术经过验证并在家中可用，它将显著增加获得护理的机会。肢体残疾人士所需的高频率物理治疗往往会影响他们的生活质量。一种可以在家中甚至在旅途中进行临床准确康复的设备将通过限制去诊所的次数来提高独立性和生活质量。此外，在神经肌肉疾病的新药物疗法的临床试验中，建议的技术可以用作研究工具。患者结果准确性和分辨率的提高将使开发新的更有效的治疗方法变得更容易。该设备将作为二次商业应用向制药公司销售。这个i-Corps项目基于开发一种仿生的、针对患者的人机界面，该界面将在延长使用期间增加设备的舒适性。这可能会增加患者的依从性，并在康复期间导致更好的数据收集和潜在更好的患者结果。此外，该设备的精确对准不需要训练有素的专业人员，使该设备能够在诊所或家中使用。这将使需要经常参加物理治疗的患者的灵活性显著增加。最后，该设备由车载电机和电池供电，以减轻重量，进一步增加患者的舒适性。已经成功地对脊髓性肌萎缩症的终端用户进行了初步研究和测试。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of adaptive physical therapy and exercise equipment that may be used by individuals with varying ranges of physical abilities. There is a large gap in the ability of individuals with mobility impairments, such as neuromuscular disorders, spinal cord injuries, and strokes, to conduct much needed physical therapy and exercise on a regular basis. Once the proposed technology is validated and usable at home, it will significantly increase access to care. The high frequency physical therapy visits required for individuals with physical disabilities often impacts their quality of life. A device that can perform clinically accurate rehabilitation at home or even on the go will enable an increased level of independence and quality of life by limiting the number of visits to the clinic. Additionally, the proposed technology may be used as a research tool during clinical trials of new pharmaceutical therapies for neuromuscular diseases. An increase in patient outcome accuracy and resolution would make it easier to develop new and more effective therapies. The device will be marketed to pharmaceutical companies as a secondary commercial application.This I-Corps project is based on the development of a biomimetic and patient-specific human-machine interface that will increase the comfort of the device during extended use. This will likely increase patient compliance and lead to better data collection and potentially better patient outcomes during rehabilitation. Additionally, accurate alignment of the device will not require a trained professional, enabling the device to be used in a clinic or at home. This will allow for a significant increase in flexibility for patients who need to attend frequent physical therapy sessions. Finally, the device is powered by off-board motors and batteries to reduce weight and further increase the patient's comfort. Preliminary research and testing have been successfully conducted with end users with spinal muscular atrophy.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.