JNER at 15 years: analysis of the state of neuroengineering and rehabilitation

Abstract

Abstract On JNER’s 15th anniversary, this editorial analyzes the state of the field of neuroengineering and rehabilitation. I first discuss some ways that the nature of neurorehabilitation research has evolved in the past 15 years based on my perspective as editor-in-chief of JNER and a researcher in the field. I highlight increasing reliance on advanced technologies, improved rigor and openness of research, and three, related, new paradigms – wearable devices, the Cybathlon competition, and human augmentation studies – indicators that neurorehabilitation is squarely in the age of wearability. Then, I briefly speculate on how the field might make progress going forward, highlighting the need for new models of training and learning driven by big data, better personalization and targeting, and an increase in the quantity and quality of usability and uptake studies to improve translation.

Keywords

• Neuroengineering
• Rehabilitation
• Movement
• Neuroscience
• Wearable
• Robotics