Category: Publication

Congratulations to Monika Buczak and co-authors Caden Hamrick and Kiley Cole on their recent publication in IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering, titled “Preliminary Investigation of Myoelectric Control of an Assistive Neck Exoskeleton by Individuals with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.”

The work was done in collaboration with co-authors Joey Brignone and Haohan Zhang, who previously developed a wearable exoskeleton to restore head and neck motion for patients with ALS. The exoskeleton restores upright posture, which supports eating and breathing. It also restores active motion, allowing patients to be more engaged in social activities and to better navigate their wheelchairs.

This study showed that the device can be controlled using residual EMG signals from the neck muscles of ALS patients, a control strategy the team believes is far more intuitive than gaze tracking systems. It is also one of the first demonstrations of using high-density EMG and machine learning for motor decoding in ALS patients.

Read the paper: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/11603866

Congratulations to lead author Abby Citterman and co-authors Rebecca Urban, Lily Nygard, Ada Stewart, and Mark Brinton on their recent publication in IEEE Haptics! This paper shows how individuals learn artificial sensations over time and provides insight into the key features and frequencies that make artificial sensations more salient. This work gives us a clearer benchmark for designing noninvasive systems for haptic feedback.

We encourage you to read it: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/11523640

Their work introduces and validates the Electronic Grip Gauge (EGG), a new sensorimotor assessment tool designed to measure grip force regulation with precision. The EGG offers a valuable means of evaluating sensorimotor function following neuromuscular impairment and in the context of assistive devices such as prosthetics and orthotics.

This type of assessment is rapidly becoming the standard for demonstrating the effectiveness of neuroprostheses — and Michael and his co-authors have taken it a step further by pioneering its application in stroke rehabilitation.

We encourage everyone in the field to read this work and consider incorporating the EGG into your own assessment toolkit.

📄 Read the full publication here.

Congratulations to Marshall Trout and co-authors Clay Stanley, Kristen Saad, and Abby Harrison on their recent publication in IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems & Rehabilitation Engineering!

Their paper, “An Intuitive, Bidirectional, Adaptive Functional Electrical Stimulation System for Hand Rehabilitation,” presents a new FES stimulation model designed to be quick to set up and stable over time — meaning less time spent adjusting stimulation parameters, and more time focused on therapy.

This work represents a meaningful step forward in making upper-limb FES a practical option for clinical use. We encourage you to read the full paper and congratulate Marshall and the team on this achievement!

🔗 Read the paper on IEEE Xplore