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Music and Motion Sensing for Neurorehabilitation

Music and Motion Sensing for Neurorehabilitation
To investigate novel music-based rehabilitation approaches in which patients control digital music instruments using motion capture sensors

Stroke patients who suffer from hemiparesis often reduce the use of the affected extremity, consequently leading to the further deterioration of the related motor function. Although traditional physiotherapy techniques have been shown to be effective in treating hemiparesis, such techniques present several limitations. In this project, we propose to investigate novel music-based rehabilitation approaches in which patients control digital music instruments using motion capture sensors (e.g. webcam, mobile devices gyroscopes and accelerometers) and electromyogram sensors (e.g. Myo). This approach to stroke rehabilitation can be significantly more efficient than traditional physiotherapy as has been shown in a (randomized, double-blind, controlled) pilot study we conducted in the hospital Forum Consorci MAR. In the proposed project, we will investigate the benefits of different interventions for recovery in chronic stroke patients, explore interventions for motor function recovery of other parts of the body, target other conditions in addition to stroke, and potentiate the use of mobile devices’ sensors to enable at-home rehabilitation.

Principal researchers

Rafael Ramírez

Researchers

Esther Duarte
Nuria Escudé

The project will be supported by the PhD Fellowship program at the Department of Information and Communication Technologies at UPF, and with synergies with the Musical AI project (Reference: PID2019-111403GB-I00).