Wearable sensors to detect infant motor delays at home
Official title: Early Detection and Surveillance of Infant Motor Deficits: A wearable Sensor Toolkit for Automated Home Evaluations
Funded at Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago D/b/a Shirley Ryan Abilitylab · NIH-11296053 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A wearable sensor toolkit will be used at home to spot early motor problems in newborns and track them over the first year of life.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago D/b/a Shirley Ryan Abilitylab NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | July 3, 2026 |
| Project end | April 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $720,463 |
| NIH project number | 1R01HD117997-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11296053 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Newborn to 1 year old infants who are at risk for motor deficits, with caregivers who can use home wearable sensors.
✕Less likely to help
Infants without motor concerns or families unable to use home sensing technology may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project aims to create an easy-to-use set of wearable sensors that families can use in daily life to identify motor delays in very young infants. Data from infants' everyday movements will be collected at home to build a real-world picture of early motor development. Researchers will develop automated analysis to flag atypical movement patterns and monitor progress across the first year. The goal is to enable earlier, more precise detection that could lead to timely interventions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this toolkit could help clinicians and families detect motor delays earlier and start therapy sooner to support child development.
How similar studies have gone: Prior methods relied on caregiver reports or clinical visits; this project builds real-world, continuous monitoring which is a novel approach with promising potential.
Where this research is happening
-
Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago D/b/a Shirley Ryan Abilitylab
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: O'brien, Megan Kathleen — Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago D/b/a Shirley Ryan Abilitylab
- Study coordinator: O'brien, Megan Kathleen
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.