Restoring self-feeding with a sensor driven robotic system

The National Institute on Aging awarded Independent Feeding Device LLC, doing business as Desin LLC, $306,872 under the Aging Research program (CFDA 93.866) on September 20, 2025, to develop and test automation enhancements to the OBI robotic feeding device for individuals with severe upper extremity motor impairment and minimal neck control.

Desin LLC and Carnegie Mellon University will integrate three-axis visual sensor automation into the OBI platform in a logical progression: gauging spoon food volume for optimized portioning, dynamic point-of-delivery adjustment, and automated food-to-mouth insertion triggered by mouth opening detection. The work encompasses sensor identification, evaluation, and integration through benchtop characterization and in-lab testing, with final sensor selection determined by performance (50% weighting), cost (30%), and integration ease (20%). Development will include off-the-shelf and custom artificial intelligence models to add automation capabilities. Feasibility will be evaluated through a non-interventional clinical investigation with 15 subjects.

Carnegie Mellon University serves as a research collaborator, performing at least 30 percent of the project work under the STTR structure. Place of performance is Florida.

The period of performance runs through September 19, 2027. The Aging Research program supports biomedical and behavioral research directed toward understanding aging and addressing diseases and special needs of aging populations, with particular emphasis on Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.

Abstract

Desīn LLC currently commercializes an OBI that successfully restores functional eating for thousands of people. However, many remaining severe uemi individuals unfortunately do not possess a sufficient level of precise functional control to reliably move their head forward to obtain food from the OBI spoon taught to deliver food just in front of their lips. Furthermore, such patients may also be on a dysphagia diet, requiring a specific volume and texture of food and liquid delivered to their mouth for safety. Utilizing funding obtained from this NIH sttr opportunity, desīn LLC and carnegie mellon university (CMU) aim to test a key scientific question - is IT possible to expand OBI's patient population to include individuals with severe uemi and minimal neck control by leveraging increased autonomy of a 3D vision system? Automation will be developed and integrated in a logical 3-step progression: 1) gauging the spoon's food volume for optimized portioning; 2) dynamic point of delivery adjustment; 3) automated food to mouth insertion triggered by mouth opening detection. Feasibility of the resulting system will be evaluated via a non-interventional feasibility clinical investigation with a small number of subjects (N=15). We proposed the following aims: specific aim 1: integration of visual sensors: sensors meeting specification will be identified, evaluated, then integrated with OBI. 3 candidates for each sensor will be assessed through benchtop characterization and in-lab testing. Acceptance: criteria of performance (50%), cost (30%), and integration ease (20%) will determine final selection. Passing IQ, OQ, PQ test protocols will gauge successful sensor integration with OBI. Specific aim 2: development of AI-models: use of off-the-shelf models and development of new models will occur to carefully add automation in a logical 3-step progression: 1. Gauging correct spoon food volume (>95% accuracy); 2. Dynamic point of delivery adjustment (