The National Science Foundation Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences awarded $450,000 to the University of Alabama on January 1, 2027, under the Mathematical and Physical Sciences program (CFDA 47.049) to develop a digital twin platform for personalized stroke gait rehabilitation using wearable lower-limb exoskeletons.
The project creates a real-time computer model that fuses electromyography (muscle electrical activity signals), sonomyography (ultrasound imaging of muscle shape and motion), body motion data, foot pressure measurements, and exoskeleton sensor data to estimate a stroke survivor's movement patterns and muscle function. The digital twin represents the individual patient, the exoskeleton device, and the walking environment, detecting gait changes, device misalignment, task demands, and hazards such as low toe clearance or unsafe foot placement. The system will conduct virtual "what-if" trials to test exoskeleton settings in simulation before deployment, enabling faster, safer adjustment to each user and reducing the need for costly or risky physical trials of rehabilitation devices.
The project incorporates research training, class projects, senior design work, and summer research opportunities for college students, along with lab tours and hands-on demonstrations for middle and high school students.
Work is performed at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, with a period of performance from January 1, 2027, through December 31, 2029.