A BCI Operated Hand Exoskeleton Based Neurorehabilitation System for Movement Restoration in Paralysis

PI: Prof. Ashish Dutta

Co-PI: Prof. Anupam Saxena

PI from UK: Prof. G. Prasad

It is known that stroke sufferers can gain much enhanced upper limb movement recovery with active physical practice in conjunction with motor imagery (MI) practice of activities of daily living. The project objectives are to develop a lightweight three-finger exoskeleton with embedded sensors, capable of replicating human motion for physical practice. It will be controlled by users' EMG and EEG signals in assist-as-needed mode. A novel brain-computer interface (BCI) that facilitates EMG and EEG fusion will also be developed for controlling the exoskeleton and provide  visual neuro-feedback to ensure focused physical and MI practices. Finally, pilot trials to evaluate the effectiveness of the exoskeleton along with BCI in movement restoration of stroke patients will be conducted.