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

这个I-Corps项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力是开发适应性物理治疗和锻炼设备，可供具有不同身体能力的个人使用。有行动障碍的人，如神经肌肉疾病，脊髓损伤和中风，进行急需的物理治疗和定期锻炼的能力有很大的差距。一旦拟议的技术得到验证并可在家中使用，它将大大增加获得护理的机会。身体残疾人士所需的高频率物理治疗访问往往会影响他们的生活质量。一个可以在家里甚至在旅途中进行临床精确康复的设备将通过限制到诊所的访问次数来提高独立性和生活质量。此外，所提出的技术可在神经肌肉疾病的新药物疗法的临床试验期间用作研究工具。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。该设备将作为第二商业应用向制药公司销售。I-Corps项目基于仿生和患者特定人机界面的开发，该界面将增加设备在长期使用期间的舒适度。这可能会增加患者的依从性，并导致更好的数据收集和潜在的更好的患者康复期间的结果。此外，该装置的精确对准将不需要经过培训的专业人员，使得该装置能够在诊所或家中使用。这将为需要频繁参加物理治疗的患者提供更大的灵活性。 最后，该设备由外置电机和电池供电，以减轻重量并进一步增加患者的舒适度。初步的研究和测试已经成功地与脊髓性肌萎缩症的最终用户进行。这个奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估的支持。

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.