Interactive Neurorehabilitation in the Clinic and the Home

Tuesday, October 1, 2019

11:00am - 12:15pm

310 Kelly Hall - VT Campus

Dr. Thanassis Rikakis

Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics

and

Department of Performing Arts

Virginia Tech

Abstract:

 This presentation will cover basic principles of interactive neurorehabilitation including movement capture and analysis, multilayered feedback and data supported adaptation strategies. The presentation will provide example applications in upper extremity post-stroke rehabilitation in the clinic and the home. The presentation will outline how participatory design of interactive neurorehabilitation systems can result in robust companion tools for therapist and clinicians that can advance efficacy and efficiency of therapy in the clinic and support semi-automated therapy at the home. The presentation will summarize the goals of a recently awarded Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center for computational assessment of movement function in stroke rehabilitation. The Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center includes the participation of Virginia Tech and Carilion.

Biography:

Dr. Thanassis Rikakis is a professor of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics (BEAM) and a professor of Performing Arts at Virginia Tech. His research spans systems design, engineering and arts with a special focus on interactive neurorehabilitation, experiential media, adaptive learning and cyber-human intelligence. He co-leads the VT Carilion Smart Rehabilitation Lab and the Interactive Neurorehabilitation Lab. Both initiatives focus on semi-automated rehabilitation in the clinic and the home. He is the founding director of the Calhoun Honors Discovery Program and director of the Calhoun Center for Higher Education Innovation. These initiatives focus on adaptive, transdisciplinary and trans-sector life-long learning. From 2015 until 2017, Thanassis served as executive vice president and provost at Virginia Tech. He led the development of transdisciplinary discovery communities (Destination Areas) and a new resource model (Partnership for an Incentive Based Budget) and co-led plans for expansion of Virginia Tech in Roanoke and Northern VA. From 2012 to 2015 he served as vice provost for design arts and technology at Carnegie Mellon University.