AI-assisted digital twin for personalized phonosurgery planning
Official title: Development of AI-Assisted digital twin system for phonosurgery
Funded at Rochester Institute of Technology · NIH-11421268 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new AI-powered digital twin will simulate a patient’s vocal fold biology to help tailor phonosurgery for clearer, more reliable voice restoration.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rochester Institute of Technology NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Rochester, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $145,613 |
| NIH project number | 1R16DC024029-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11421268 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals scheduled for phonosurgery or considering phonosurgical intervention who want a personalized planning tool.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not undergoing phonosurgery or without access to the digital twin workflow may not benefit directly.
What this research studies
This project aims to create a patient-specific, computer-based model of the vocal folds that uses advanced AI and physics-informed techniques to simulate how surgery will affect voice. It will combine clinical data, tissue properties, and high-fidelity simulations to predict outcomes before actual surgery. The team will address uncertainty and provide surgeons with optimization options to improve safety and effectiveness. The goal is to give patients clearer voices with fewer unexpected results through personalized virtual testing.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could receive more accurate surgical plans that lead to better voice quality and fewer postoperative surprises.
How similar studies have gone: Previous efforts using computational models have faced challenges in accuracy and reliability, making this a novel but promising approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zheng, Xudong — Rochester Institute of Technology
- Study coordinator: Zheng, Xudong
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.