Lio Grienenberger

Project Summary: Functional electrical stimulation (FES) is a promising tool for motor rehabilitation, but stimulation is usually delivered in open loop, without adapting to the user's performance or cognitive state. This project investigates how different closed-loop FES modalities shape motor control and motor learning. In particular, it explores how stimulation can be modulated in real time during game-based motor tasks, either based on task performance or on cognitive signatures extracted from EEG, such as the user's stage of learning or whether they are actively engaged or passively relying on the stimulation (cognitive surrender), and compares the effects of these approaches. In parallel, the project aims to establish more robust and standardized methods for detecting motor thresholds in FES. In the longer term, this research aims to translate closed-loop stimulation strategies to the rehabilitation of patients with upper-limb motor impairments, such as after stroke or spinal cord injury.