“On World Brain Day, we talked about the NEWRO project, a motor rehabilitation system for stroke patients of all levels of disability, including the most severe and chronic patients”
We talked about stroke prevention and treatment, and our neurorehabilitation projects
On World Brain Day, which is held on 22nd July, we spoke to Radio Euskadi about the developments and projects that TECNALIA is working on in the neurological and neurorehabilitation fields. Our colleague, Andrea Sarasola,Health Project Manager at TECNALIA, explained how the neuroplasticity of the brain is key in the recovery processes for stroke patients.
In this field, TECNALIA is working on two lines of research in the field of neurorehabilitation: the European REHYB project and the NEWRO initiative.
Rehabilitation and care for stroke patients
Andrea Sarasola is working on a novel hybrid brain-machine interface. This is NEWRO, an upper limb motor rehabilitation system for stroke patients of all levels of disability, including chronic and more severe patients. It is a system that interacts with the nervous system and is able to offer personalised therapy to each patient.
The patient's intention to move when trying to perform a task with the paralysed arm is decoded through electrical signals from the brain and/or muscles. This translates into the movement of an exoskeleton attached to the paralysed arm; it performs the decoded movement, thus linking the intended movement with the actual movement perceived by the patient in a matter of milliseconds. This link is key to activating the neuroplasticity mechanisms by which humans are able to relearn motor function lost due to stroke.
This project offers patients and clinicians great benefits. For patients, this system is an opportunity to regain the mobility of their upper limb. In this way, they can partially or completely reduce their degree of dependency, even in the most serious cases that currently lack effective solutions. For clinicians, it is an opportunity to offer efficient and effective treatment with easy-to-use technology. Clinicians can treat multiple patients simultaneously, increasing efficiency and reducing staff costs.
Rehabilitation-oriented hybrid neuroprosthetics
Igone Idígoras, Head of Evaluation Assistance Devices, coordinates TECNALIA's participation in REHYB. In this initiative, we are developing breakthroughs and new hybrid neuroprosthetic solutions aimed at rehabilitation and upper limb support for stroke patients. These solutions combine active and passive exoskeleton technologies with functional electrostimulation (FES), and the development of cooperative control strategies.
60% of stroke survivors whose upper limbs are affected do not fully recover function, and 30% of those severely affected have no other option.
We focus on solutions that are tailored to the needs of each patient and monitor their progress during the rehabilitation process. We provide the patient with personalised rehabilitation therapy.
Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES)
Preliminary studies indicate that the efficiency of upper limb rehabilitation in post-stroke patients can be improved if the users' motor functions are actively controlled by functional electrical stimulation (FES) in addition to the guidance provided by an active exoskeleton.
These hybrid systems are advantageous: the users' own muscular activity initiates the movements, and they are not just passively guided through an external force (exoskeleton).
The aim is to generate a hybrid system that maximises training efficiency during rehabilitation - all while offering a pleasant user experience and supporting patients in daily activities. The next steps will come with the integration of the final prototypes and clinical trials with doctors and patients.
