In-bed wearable rehab robot to help stroke survivors recover movement
Official title: Facilitating neuroplastic changes of acute stroke survivors with severe hemiplegia
Funded at Rehabtek, LLC · NIH-11419615 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A wearable robotic device will be developed to help adults who recently had an acute stroke regain movement while still in the hospital.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rehabtek, LLC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Linthicum Heights, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | March 1, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,271,837 |
| NIH project number | 5U44NS125158-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11419615 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults 21 years or older who recently had an acute stroke and have low or no voluntary motor output in the affected limbs.
✕Less likely to help
Stroke patients outside the acute, in-bed rehabilitation window or those with conditions preventing wearing a device may derive less benefit.
What this research studies
This project aims to create a compact wearable robot that can be used in-bed to provide sensorimotor training during the critical early recovery window after a stroke. It targets patients with little or no voluntary movement (MMT of 0) to detect improving signals and promote neuroplastic changes. The team will test the device’s safety, usability, and potential to boost motor recovery during acute hospitalization. If successful, the approach could lead to earlier, more effective rehabilitation and better functional outcomes for stroke survivors.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If effective, the device could enhance early motor recovery and reduce long-term disability after stroke.
How similar studies have gone: Previous rehabilitation devices exist, but few address the acute in-bed period for patients with minimal initial motor output; this project seeks to fill that gap.
Where this research is happening
-
Rehabtek, LLC
Linthicum Heights, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Oppizzi, Giovanni — Rehabtek, LLC
- Study coordinator: Oppizzi, Giovanni
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Helping brain recovery for people with severe paralysis after a recent stroke
This project builds a wearable in-bed robot to give gentle movement and sensory training to adults with severe weakness right after a stroke.
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Improving recovery for stroke survivors with severe paralysis
This study is testing a new wearable robot designed to help stroke survivors with severe arm and leg weakness recover better while they are still in bed, by providing important training to improve their movement and brain function early on.
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When people are most at risk of another stroke after a minor stroke or TIA
Researchers are combining past trial data to find the timing of highest risk for a second stroke after a minor stroke or TIA so treatments can be better timed.
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Spinal cord stimulation to help arm and hand movement after stroke
A new cervical spinal cord stimulation approach is tested to improve arm and hand function in people living with chronic post-stroke hemiparesis.
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Improving Participation after Stroke: Self-Management Rehab for Sub-Acute Stroke
A doctor- and patient-friendly program delivered virtually helps people who recently had a stroke feel more confident, stay active at home, and improve quality of life.
-
Targeting a brain inflammation regulator to protect cells after a stroke
Aims to test a new approach that tampers with a key brain cell regulator to reduce inflammation and protect brain tissue after a stroke, potentially lowering disability.
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.