Brain-Computer Interface Hand Therapy for Stroke Recovery

This trial is testing a combination therapy called BCI-FES (brain-computer interface paired with functional electrical stimulation) for people who have had a stroke and struggle with hand weakness, difficulty swallowing, or speech problems. The treatment works by reading electrical signals from your brain related to hand movements, displaying them on a computer screen for feedback, and simultaneously stimulating your arm muscles to help them move. Researchers want to explore whether this combined approach might help improve not just hand function, but also swallowing and speech abilities.

After a stroke, many people experience lasting weakness in their arms and difficulty with speech or swallowing. While standard rehabilitation therapy helps, new technologies like this treatment may offer better results by combining brain signals with muscle stimulation to create more intensive, targeted practice—something that could speed up recovery.