Combining Robotic & Assistive Technologies To Improve Outcomes: A Pilot Study Quantifying Stroke Rehabilitation

Stroke is the leading causes of long-term disability in the United States. Unfortunately, many survivors experience upper extremity (UE) impairment with few rehabilitation opportunities, secondary to a lack of voluntary muscle control. We developed a novel UE rehabilitation paradigm (TDS-HM) that uses a Tongue Drive System (TDS) to control a robotic device (HandMentor: HM), encouraging active learning through a game-like user interface. We hypothesize TDS-HM training will improve motor performance, reduce UE impairment, and improve quality of life in stroke survivors.