The aim of this PhD project is to use Shimmer technology to provide an objective measure of upper limb function during a clinical trial of constraint therapy (LifeCIT trial)
Advances in the field of wearable technology research such as ambulatory accelerometers, have allowed monitoring of patients in both experimental and real world settings. Patient monitoring for a wide range of health care needs including stroke rehabilitation has been previously reported. In light of this progress, stroke researchers have utilised accelerometers as a method for monitoring the upper limb function of stroke patients.
A new wireless sensor platform “SHIMMER” has been developed for remote patient monitoring. The small size and ease of application of the shimmer nodes may make it possible for stroke patients to don a small number of sensors independently in the community during a clinical intervention trial.
Dr Paolo Bonato and Shymal Patel, researchers at the Harvard-MIT department of physical medicine and rehabilitation, have developed the SHIMMER platform to create wireless sensing solutions. These may be possible to implement in a clinical trial of upper limb rehabilitation in stroke. This is a collaborative project to apply these advances in technology, in order to further assess the efficacy of the LifeCIT intervention on upper limb function.
Stroke Rehabilitation
Shimmer sensors
Activity monitoring