This project aims to develop a wearable smart limb rehabilitation prototype, to be used for knee rehabilitation by sub-acute and chronic stroke patients. The goal is to provide high resolution proprioceptive feedback and movement assistance for individuals with reduced proprioceptive sensation and motor function due to stroke.
Smart Limb Rehab
Additive manufacturing (i.e. 3D printing) methods will enable a lightweight, low foot-print and cost effective device that also provide customisability. There are currently no commercially available or research rehabilitation devices that combine physiologically-triggered movement assistance with proprioceptive feedback.
The ‘Smart Limb Rehab’ will measure electrical activity of patients’ muscles that will be used to deliver intuitive feedback signals to patients in real-time; the sensory modality will be investigated in this project. The principal application of the ‘Smart Limb Rehab’ will be in maximising motor function recovery of stroke survivors by facilitating feedback-driven neuroplasticity in the motor system while it has great potential use for orthopaedic rehabilitation (e.g. joint mobilisations, muscle strengthening, gait re-education) for older adults.
The Team
Dr Rahim Mutlu, (EIS) a Lecturer in Biomedical Engineering at the School of Mechanical, Materials, Mechatronic and Biomedical Engineering (MMMB), will oversee the project, under the mentorship of Prof Gursel Alici, (EIS) Head of MMMB.
Dr Winson Lee (EIS) and Dr Emre Sariyildiz (EIS), will contribute design and development of the smart limb rehab, while working closely with Dr Jonathan Shemmell (SMAH), Dr Elizabeth Mayland (ASSH), and Dr Robyn Coman (ASSH) on musculoskeletal aspect and implementation of feedback. Dr Sheikh Solaiman (BAL) will provide legal advice and commercialisation aspects in the project.
