Using robots to enhance stroke rehabilitation in the community
Official title: Leveraging Robot-Based Haptic Dyads to Improve Community-Based Stroke Rehabilitation
Funded at University of Pennsylvania · NIH-10998763 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how using fun robotic games can help older stroke survivors recover by making therapy more engaging and social, so they can connect with others while improving their movement and communication skills.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Fellowship grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pennsylvania NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $48,974 |
| NIH project number | 1F31HD116597-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-10998763 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are older adults aged 65 and above who have experienced a stroke and may have varying levels of motor and cognitive impairments.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not stroke survivors or those who do not have any motor or cognitive impairments may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on improving rehabilitation for stroke survivors, particularly older adults, by utilizing affordable robotic technology in community settings. It aims to create a multiplayer rehabilitation experience where individuals can interact through haptic feedback, which involves sensations like touch and vibration. By studying how people with different levels of motor and cognitive impairments communicate during these interactions, the research seeks to enhance the design of robotic therapy games. This approach not only aims to make rehabilitation more engaging but also to leverage social connections to motivate patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective and accessible rehabilitation methods for stroke survivors, improving their recovery outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in using robotic and haptic technologies for rehabilitation, indicating that this approach could be effective.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Waters, Erica — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Waters, Erica
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Understanding how vagus nerve stimulation helps stroke recovery to guide better treatments
This NIH grant uses computer models to figure out how brief, task-timed vagus nerve stimulation affects the brain after stroke and helps movement recovery.
-
Calcium imaging guides deep brain stimulation to boost chronic stroke recovery in a rat model
A research team is testing how customizing deep brain stimulation parameters in rats with stroke can improve long-term motor recovery, with the goal of guiding future patient treatments.
-
Targeting synapse turnover to boost stroke recovery
Aims to find ways to shape brain rewiring after stroke by guiding how synapses grow, with the goal of helping adults recover upper-limb function.
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Wearable EMG-FES System to Help Stroke Recovery and Find Biological Markers
A wearable sleeve that uses your own muscle signals to help arm movement after stroke, while researchers look for biological clues that track recovery.
-
Noradrenergic VNS to boost stroke rehab outcomes
A patient-oriented look at a therapy that combines brief vagus nerve stimulation with physical rehab to help people recover arm movement after a stroke.
-
How rehab changes the brain after stroke
This project will look at how rehabilitation training changes brain activity and connections after stroke to help people regain movement.
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.