A brain computer interface (BCI) to decode intended upper-limb movement online and in real-time (360G-Wellcome-106343_Z_14_Z)

Stroke is the main cause of acquired adult disability in high-income countries (Pollock et al., 2014). Annually, in England, approximately 110,000 people have a stroke (NHS Choices). Three quarters of patients suffering an acute stroke report upper-limb weakness (Lawrence et al., 2001) and 45% have limited fine-hand use 18 months after stroke (Welmer et al., 2008). No high quality evidence can be found for any current rehabilitative interventions to improve upperlimb function after stroke (Pollock et al., 2014). The ambition of this project is to combine recent advances in neuroimaging, data analysis and understanding of neuroplasticity to develop a new intervention for improving upper-limb function after stroke. This novel intervention will be developed with healthy participants assisted by contributions froma stroke patient focus group. Aims: 1. Investigate the patterns of neuronal activity associated with unilateral, symmetric bilateral and asymmetric bilateral upper-limb movements in healthy individuals. 2. Develop a brain computer interface (BCI) that decodes a user’s intention to perform an upper-limb movement. 3. Use the BCI to control a hand-orthosis that would allow users with limited hand movement to complete basic functional tasks. 4. Complete a feasibility study that demonstrates the orthosis and BCI to be acceptable and useable by upper-limb motor impaired stroke patients