“Developing interventions to restore mobility and independence after stroke” by Nathan Makowski, PhD by Engineering Candidate

Abstract: Poststroke hemiparesis limits stroke survivors walking speed and increases their risk of falls. Decreased mobility restricts social participation and increases the risk of co-morbidities and secondary injury. Our team is developing assistive devices that activate muscles in coordination with the user's paretic movement to restore independent mobility. This presentation will describe ongoing efforts including hardware development, device implementation, and controller development. Specifically, it will describe modules being created for the Networked Neuroprosthesis System as part of the Cleveland Open-Source Modular Implant Innovators Community, implementation of an implanted neuroprosthesis as well as a non-invasive hybrid device combining neural stimulation and an exoskeleton to improve walking ability, and controller development to automate and optimize assistance. Preliminary data and future directions will be discussed.