DARE Conference: Transformative Opportunities for Modeling in Neurorehabilitation; Los Angeles, California; March 3-4, 2023

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Computer algorithms and models (i.e., computational modeling) of how the brain controls the body have had profound impacts on the field's scientific understanding and implementation of rehabilitation in neurological conditions (neurorehabilitation) such as stroke, Parkinson’s disease, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury, etc. Researchers have used computational models of sensorimotor control and of musculoskeletal dynamics to guide their designs for neuromodulatory approaches to enhance motor function and for control strategies of assistive technologies. Similarly, computational models have informed treatment decisions in orthopedics and sports medicine, where analyses describing trajectories of development, disability, and recovery have had the potential to help prioritize and focus treatment. As technologies such as artificial intelligence, multimodal remote sensors, and multiscale datasets (from genomics to behavior) begin to integrate with computational modeling, a future in which personalized, adaptable neurorehabilitation driven by knowledge of fundamental mechanisms is envisioned to be possible. Nevertheless, computational modeling efforts remain largely confined to research communities — and thus underutilized in clinical care and not available to clients of neurorehabilitation. There is, therefore, an urgent need to bring together stakeholders invested in these technologies, models, neuroscience, rehabilitation, and advocate communities to evaluate progress to date, opportunities opened by novel software and devices, and client needs. This will allow the community to identify gaps and opportunities to improve quality of life and care. This conference will bring together experts and trainees from around the world to discuss critical questions, challenges, and opportunities at the intersection of computational modeling and neurorehabilitation. The mission of the researchers involved in this workshop is to develop innovative techniques that can use computational modeling and device design to understand, optimize, and improve neurorehabilitation. Computational modeling can provide foundational insights of fundamental mechanisms that explain experimental data or infer features of behavior that cannot be obtained experimentally. Further, computational modeling can support the design of assistive technology and other innovative technologies that can accelerate and optimize neurorehabilitation. Importantly, this conference will assemble a community of experts from different fields who can establish the foundation by which computational modeling can create the scientific insights, theories, and actionable platforms to improve the efficacy and personalization of neurorehabilitation. The PI Team is committed to a diverse, inclusive, and accessible conference. Speakers will be drawn from diverse career stages and backgrounds, and the conference will be advertised to a wide breadth of institutions, professional societies, and areas of expertise. Video recordings of all sessions will be publicly available via a YouTube channel with supporting articles, documentation, and resources for others to view and build upon to support future research, translation, and innovation. The conference will be designed following the SIGACCESS Guidelines for Conference Accessibility. The conference will also have a dedicated team member as Accessibility Chair, and the resources required to support physical, digital, and social access to all aspects of the conference.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.