Funded by The National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
NeuroTechR3’s innovation, Rehabilitation Technologies for Hand and Arm (R3THA), uses exergame technologies to provide AI-driven customized and adaptive hand and arm rehabilitation activities. This project will examine the possibility of transforming our company’s technology into an easy to use, accessible, and affordable solution for children with CP. The purpose of this SBIR Phase 1 project is to gather data and validate the needs of children with mild to moderate CP to be able to, in Phase II, develop a therapeutic exergame product for hand and arm that can be used by children with CP a) in their homes, b) by their therapists as an adjunct intervention, and c) by schools to provide goal based training in areas that help the children succeed both in school and in daily life.
Cerebral Palsy (CP) is the leading cause of motor impairment in children and although CP is a lifelong disability, regardless of the level of impairment, therapeutic exercises are essential to either improve a skill or prevent degeneration. NeuroTechR3, in partnership with the New Jersey Institute of Technology, NJIT, will, in the course of this project, examine the possibility of transforming principles of neuroscience and evidence-based interventions into a therapeutic device that uses exergame technology with personalized challenge level adjustments based on real time movement tracking to increase the likelihood of maintaining children’s attention and prompt everyday use. The system also tracks improvements and provides feedback to children using the device and sends it to their therapists. The goal is to increase accessibility of therapeutic activities for children with CP and induce motivation to adhere to their exercise plan due to the engaging nature of our exergames. We believe R3THA will provide high quality, engaging, and efficient hand and arm rehabilitation therapy to children with CP in school settings and in the home.
Focus Group: Children with CP and their Parents/Caregivers
We will be conducting a focus group for children with CP as well as their parents/caregivers to get feedback on our innovation and approach, as well as identify issues in their current standard of care. We would also like to identify their experience with their school-based therapy. We would like to have 6 – 10 people in the focus group and it will last approximately 60 – 90 minutes.
Focus Group: Occupational Therapists
We will be conducting a focus group for occupation therapists to better understand the needs of therapists treating children with cerebral palsy in the school setting. We would like to identify the issues facing therapists and the requirements for using technology-based devices for therapy in the school setting. Occupation therapists must have a NJ state license.
Usability Study
A usability study will be conducted to evaluate the R3THA for Pediatrics prototype. We will invite children with CP, their parents/caregivers, and occupational therapists to use the system and provide feedback.
For more information, please contact the project PI: Mee Eriksson, CEO, NeurotechR3, at mee.eriksson@neurotechr3.com