NSF Convergence Accelerator: Track H: Restoring Arm Function with Connected Assistance and Rehabilitation Systems

该项目的重点是开发和翻译一个在家，连接可穿戴康复解决方案，以恢复上肢残疾人士的手臂功能和独立性。在美国，上肢残疾影响超过1000万人;中风是主要原因。在美国每年经历中风的近100万人中，估计有75%的人使用其受影响的手臂有长期的挑战。由于临床治疗的持续时间和强度有限，目前上肢康复的护理标准在很大程度上是无效的。数据表明，中风幸存者每天需要数百次重复来支持上肢康复，但往往缺乏达到这一标准的能力和动力。如果不进行康复，就会出现上肢废用的恶性循环，导致能力进一步退化，严重影响独立性、工作能力和生活质量。这项研究实现了从目前的“临床”康复模式到上肢残疾患者远程物理康复模式的范式转变，将日常活动转化为治疗。研究结果将为数百万中风幸存者的独立、社会参与和重返工作岗位开辟道路，同时降低相关的医疗成本。该项目旨在吸引、培训和指导下一代多元化的康复技术创新者，同时为治疗师提供持续的远程康复教育，减少对残疾人的偏见。该项目将开发技术，通过以下方式实现更高的重复性和强度的有目的的治疗运动：（i）通过来自软可穿戴机器人的支持来增加上肢运动的能力，以及（ii）通过数字治疗鼓励行为改变，提供对上肢活动的全面定量跟踪和目标设定。其目的是：（1）量化中风后上肢生物力学和手臂使用，（2）优化家庭康复技术，（3）与中风幸存者和治疗师一起评估和试点技术。在与最终用户共同创建的低保真度原型的基础上，该项目将优化技术-其机械设计，估计和控制算法，以及硬件，服装和软件系统参数，并共同创建将在实验室和家庭环境中进行评估的高级原型。通过焦点小组和大规模调查，将涉及多个州不同功能水平和种族/民族背景的中风幸存者，这将为技术发展提供信息。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并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，被认为值得支持。

This project focuses on developing and translating an at-home, connected wearable rehabilitation solution to restore arm function and independence for those with upper limb disability. Upper limb disability impacts over 10 million people in the United States; stroke is a leading cause. Of the almost one million people in the US who experience stroke annually, an estimated 75% have long-term challenges using their affected arm. The current standard of care for upper extremity rehabilitation is largely ineffective, due to limited duration and intensity of in-clinic therapy. Data suggest that stroke survivors require hundreds of repetitions per day to support upper limb recovery, but often lack the capacity and motivation to meet this standard. Without rehabilitation, a negative cycle of upper limb disuse occurs, resulting in further degradation of ability and gross impacts to independence, ability to work and life quality. This research enables a paradigm shift from the current 'in clinic' model of rehabilitation to one of remote physical rehabilitation for those with upper limb disability, where everyday activities are transformed into therapy. The results will open avenues for independence, societal participation, and return-to-work for millions of stroke survivors while reducing associated healthcare costs. The project broadening impacts aim is to attract, train, mentor the next generation of diverse rehabilitation technology innovators while providing continual telerehabilitation-focused education for therapists and reducing bias towards PWDs.This project will develop technology to enable higher repetitions and intensity of purposeful therapeutic movement by: (i) increasing capacity for upper limb movement through support from a soft wearable robot, and (ii) encouraging behavioral change with a digital therapeutic that provides thorough quantitative tracking and goal setting of upper extremity activity. The aims are to: (1) quantify upper extremity biomechanics and arm use after stroke, (2) optimize technology for at-home rehabilitation, and (3) evaluate and pilot technologies with stroke survivors and therapists. Building on low-fidelity prototypes co-created with end users, this project will optimize the technology-its mechanical design, estimation and control algorithms, and hardware, apparel, and software system parameters, and co-create advanced prototypes that will be evaluated in both lab and home-based settings. Stroke survivors of different functional levels and racial/ethnic backgrounds across multiple states will be involved through focus groups and a large-scale survey that will inform technical development.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.