Project Description

Challenge

Thousands of Canadian children living with severe physical disabilities are intellectually capable but unable to move independently. They are trapped inside their bodies, deprived of their fundamental human rights to interact, and participate.

BCi-Move Project Summary

An emerging technology, brain‐computer interfaces (BCIs), are a potential solution. BCIs allow individuals to interact with their environment using only their brainwaves. Growing evidence from the unique program, BCI4Kids, has shown that children with severe disabilities can successfully use BCIs. Children and families in the BCI4Kids program have now identified exploring movement with BCI as a top priority.

A pilot study has already seen six children use BCI to activate a wheelchair, gaining an enormous sense of accomplishment. The current study, BCi‐Move, will determine if BCI can be used to achieve personal mobility goals through a customized three‐month training program. Success will be measured by individualized goal achievement, skill progression, and quality of life.

BCi‐Move will immediately allow disabled children to realize new levels of independence and freedom. As the only child‐ and family‐centred pediatric BCI program in the world, this project team is ideally positioned to work with a national network of partners and dedicated families—to broadly impact the lives of children with severe disabilities.

Funding Partners

Kids Brain Health Network – $99,500
Brain Canada – $99,500
Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation – $200,000
Hotchkiss Brain Institute – $18,000 in-kind
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital – $95,000 in-kind
Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital – $95,000 in-kind
BCI4Kids Platform – $46,000 in-kind

Contributions as of February 2023

Team

Principal Investigators

Dr. Adam Kirton, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary

Co-Investigators

Dr. Eli Kinney-Lang, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary
Ms. Danette Rowley, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary

Collaborators

Dr. Kim Adams, Assistive Technology Laboratory, University of Alberta
Dr. John Andersen, Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital
Dr. Jaideep Bains, Hotchkiss Brain Institute
Dr. Susanne Benseler, Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute (ACHRI)
Conny Betuzzi, Pain & Rehabilitation Services Centre, Alberta Children’s Hospital
Janice Bushfield, CP Canada Network
Dr. Tom Chau, Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, University of Toronto
Dr. Jörn Davidsen, Computational Neurosciences Program
Melanie Matiisen Dewar, Vi Riddell Children’s Pain and Rehabilitation Centre, Alberta Children’s Hospital
Dr. Richard Frayne, Hotchkiss Brain Institute
Amber Michaud, ICAN Assistive Technology Program, Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital