Iris Toye

Project Summary: Despite rehabilitation efforts, nearly half of stroke survivors continue to experience difficulty using their affected limbs even five years post-stroke. Sensory impairments, including deficits in somatosensation and proprioception, affect around two-thirds of stroke survivors, significantly impacting their ability to perform daily activities. Addressing these challenges requires advancing sensory and proprioceptive rehabilitation to improve movement quality and help patients in regaining independence.

This project explores the potential of stochastic resonance (SR) stimulation as a rehabilitation tool post-stroke. SR is a phenomenon based on the addition of a subthreshold noise to a system to amplify weak signals, thereby improving their detection. Previous studies have shown its positive effects on fingertip sensation in both healthy individuals and stroke survivors. Specifically, we will evaluate the effectiveness of a wristband that applies subthreshold vibrotactile noise stimulation, focusing on its impact on sensation and movement quality in stroke survivors.

One key challenge with such rehabilitation strategies is the variability in patients' responses. Therefore, the first goal of this project is to find ways to characterize the patients who will likely benefit from this stimulation. Subsequent assessments will evaluate how the vibration affects sensation, motor control, and daily activities. Various methods, including electromyography (EMG) to measure muscle activation and video tracking for a quantitative analysis of movement dynamics, will be used to characterize patients' responses.

These findings could guide the development of longer-term rehabilitation therapies utilizing wearable vibrotactile devices, integrating seamlessly into daily life to enhance functional task performance.