Error-enhanced Learning & Recovery in 2 & 3 Dimensions

The neuroplasticity of motor re-learning is a key pathway for recovery in neurorehabilitation. One critical challenge to devising treatment plans for motor recovery is the wide variation that exists between individuals, across movement repetitions, and even within movements. Development of a learning model that looks at these factors would better relate diagnoses to treatments, providing personalization and efficiency to therapy. This proposal aims to advance rehabilitation by building a modeling framework that explores the trends and exploits a fundamental learning process - error. Our goal is to preliminarily test the direct effect of this new treatment in preparation for the randomized controlled study to come. Understanding how error leads to better performance will help us program future devices for therapy for optimal outcomes.

We are using research lab equipment at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab (SRALab) Hospital's Robotics group. The equipment will be used to implement the reaching exercises and measure participant movement. The equipment includes:

1. Barret b.u.r.t. arm robot with Teneo forearm attachment
2. LookingGlass virtual reality display system
3. Garmin Venu Sq fitness tracking wristwatch

Study Outline:

Week 1, Visit 1: Consent, In-Person Screening, and Baseline Evaluations Participants will sign a consent form. Then, they will undergo a screening process to check if they meet all the eligibility requirements. Participants that pass the in-person screening and agree to continue with the study will complete baseline evaluations which will consistent of upper extremity outcome measures, and a preliminary reaching experiment on the b.u.r.t. robotic arm.