Virtual reality for neurorehabilitation: from the development of the solution to the transfer of technology for the benefit of society

• Grant number: 19/02200-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Start date: July 01, 2019
• End date: June 30, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Interdisciplinary Subjects
• Principal Investigator: Gabriela Castellano
• Grantee: Alexandre Fonseca Brandão
• Supervisor: Paulus Fmj Vershure
• Host Institution: Instituto de Física Gleb Wataghin (IFGW). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Spain
• Associated to the scholarship: 15/03695-5 - Application and development of virtual reality tools to complement conventional therapy of stroke patients and evaluation of recovery using brain connectivity through fMRI, BP.PD

Abstract

Efforts to better understand the neuro-rehabilitation processes in stroke patients are relevant to the future development of optimized e-Health solutions to accelerate motor recovery and patient autonomy. Treatments with motor and cognitive stimuli are present in neurofunctional recovery processes, including assistive technologies and, more recently, the use of Virtual Reality interfaces in conjunction with conventional rehabilitation techniques and procedures. This research project aims to contribute to a better understanding of the processes necessary for the development of e-Health solutions [specifically, Virtual Reality solutions for neurological rehabilitation] and the forms that must be taken for the success of technology transfer for the benefit of society. For this, the Synthetic, Perceptive, Emotive and Cognitive (SPECS - https://specs.ibecbarcelona.eu/) group chosen, to carry out this international internship, is a reference in Europe in research with Virtual Reality and neurological rehabilitation, one of the areas of interest of RIDC BRAINN (Brazilian Institute of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology - http://cepid.fapesp.br/en/centro/11/), where the candidate is an associate researcher. The SPECS group coordinated by Dr. P. Verschure (international supervisor of this project) and currently located at the Institute of Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC - http://www.ibecbarcelona.eu/) - Barcelona, Spain. The IBEC has a strategic plan 2018-20 to help build 21st-century medicine using scientific and technological ability to solve health problems, improve universal well-being to achieve a better quality of life for people through the dynamic ecosystem Catalan science and innovation. From the SPECS group, under the leadership of Dr. P. Verschure, two spin-offs were created (Eodyne and BrainX3), where part of this internship will hold to learn about the process of innovation and technology transfer of an academic institution for the benefit of society. (AU)