The University of Queensland has announced a partnership with Fourier Intelligence. This partnership will combine Fourier Intelligence’s exoskeleton technology EXOPS™ and UQ’s expertise in the fields of neuro-engineering, rehabilitation, medical robotics, and artificial intelligence, to deliver research on personalised robotic therapy for the restoration of walking function post-stroke.
The project aims to co-develop methods for supporting locomotion therapy and promoting recovery in post-stroke individuals, by modulating the level of robotic assistance as required by the user, working harmoniously with the residual neuromuscular function. This, in turn, is expected to promote neurological recovery and decrease the reliance on the device over time.
Besides the potential impact at the individual level, the possibility of such adaptable devices represents a significant impact in mobility for the overall stroke patient population in Australia; which presents a vast range of mobility impairment levels.
The project, led by Senior Lecturer, Dr Alejandro Melendez-Calderon at the UQ School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering involves a transdisciplinary research team of biomedical and rehabilitation engineers and scientists, and clinicians across multiple Faculties within UQ.
Namely, the Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences via its School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences and the Faculty of Medicine via its School of Biomedical Sciences. It also sees the involvement of clinical institutions in the region, such as STARS and HabITec at The Hopkins Centre.
This partnership and project is leveraging capabilities created through the UQAI Collaboratory initiative, led by Professor Shazia Sadiq.
