Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Conditions
Keywords
brain computer interface
Brief summary
The current project will aid patients with motor impairment to reduce the need for homecare. Specifically the aim is to develop and implement a robotic exoskeleton and brain computer interface to assist and eventually perform arm and hand movement in patients with the progressive neurodegenerative disease ALS. This proposal brings together state-of-the-art robotic technology, EEG-based brain computer interface (BCI) know-how, clinical expertise, patient perspective and industrial partners to develop and implement a robotic arm/hand device that will adapt, with increasing brain-computer control, based on the need of the patient. In short the BCI will measure electroencephalography (EEG) from the surface of the scalp and recognize signature EEG as the patient intents to move. As the patient loses muscle power the BCI robotic-device will gradually take over and support motor activity, even when the patient is totally paralyzed. As the device supports hand/arm function only, the investigators aim to address ADLs associated to hand function, specifically eating activities.
Interventions
DEVICEREMAP EEG based BCI and SEM-Glove BioServo
EEG-based brain computer interface (BCI) will be adapted to individual ALS patients and modified to control external robotic devices
Sponsors
Aalborg University
The Danish National Rehabilitation Center for Neuromuscular Diseases
Bioservo Technologies AB, Sweden
Aarhus University Hospital
University of Aarhus
Study design
Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 90 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* ALS according to the latest revision of El Escorial Criteria (Ludorph et al. 2015) * Loss of muscle force or fine motor skills in a hand
Exclusion criteria
* Other severe Neurological or Psychiatric disease * Drug or Alcohol dependency * Pregnancy * Severe cognitive disturbances found to impede with study completion
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Action Research Armtest part b Grip | At 6 months | performance with and without BCI/robotic device |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Grip strength | At 6 months | Hand held dynamometer with and without BCI/robotic device |
| Bringing glass of water to the mouth | At 6 months | Ability to bring a glass of water to the mouth with and without BCI/robotic device |
Countries
Denmark
Outcome results
None listed