Assistive and rehabilitation technologies in neuromuscular disorders

Neuromuscular disorders are a group of heterogeneous diseases and physical conditions associated with a broad spectrum of functional impairments. Assistive and rehabilitation technologies aim at improving the subject ability to perform activities of daily living, maintaining or restoring muscle function, improving motor control, minimizing and/or compensating for any functional alterations resulting from injuries or diseases.

Through well-established collaborations with clinical partners in Italy and abroad, this research field strives to design innovative rehabilitation approaches and tools. The ultimate goal is to develop easy-to-use and subject-specific solutions for neuromuscular rehabilitation and for the prevention of health complications arising from pathological conditions. The achievement of this goal is ensured by integrating the basic knowledge on biomechanics, motor control and motor learning with the recent advancements in wearable electronics, sensors, and actuators.

Examples of results of this research activity are:

  1. a miniaturized and modular functional electrical stimulator integrating kinematic and EMG signal detection for subjects with spinal cord injury
  2. a wearable system for game-based rehabilitation of children with cerebral palsy
  3. an augmented reality EMG feedback system compatible with smart glasses.

Link:

ERC Sector:

  • PE7_9 Man-machine-interfaces
  • LS7_1 Medical engineering and technology

Keywords:

  • Assistive technology
  • Patient rehabilitation
  • Augmented reality
  • Functional electrical stimulation

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