CONTRAST · An individually adaptable, BNCI-based, remote controlled Cognitive Enhancement Training for successful rehabilitation after stroke including home support and monitoring

Millions of people live with the consequences of stroke, which often include cognitive impairments. A wide gap exists between clinical rehabilitation and care, monitoring and support of patients at home to maximize independent, socially integrated living. CONTRAST will bridge this gap by developing easy-to-use auto-adaptive human-machine interfaces (HCI) which can be used in the sub-acute rehabilitation phase and further at the patients' home. Training modules for cognitive enhancement will be tailored to the individual and remote data processing and support systems will allow for continuous monitoring of health parameters to evaluate individual progress and for shared patient-expert decision. We will develop, test, and upgrade our brain-neural-computer interface (BNCI) based neurofeedback tools, based on findings that increasing power in specific EEG frequency bands can improve long-term cognitive performance. CONTRAST targets the cognitive function of interest directly in the brain. Thus, CONTRAST will contribute to new medical and practical knowledge for guiding and improving intervention for daily life functioning after stroke. The aims of CONTRAST are the development of (1) a new architecture of HCI that is adaptive and integrates remote processing and shared decision making; (2) an accurate, individually tailored intervention for improvement of cognitive function guided by medical and neuropsychological assessment; (3) a HCI neurofeedback based cognitive enhancement training including automated reward systems to maintain patient motivation; (4) a continuous onsite and remote monitoring of health parameters and evaluation; (5) exploitation and dissemination. While these are ambitious aims, the combination of Universities, Companies, Hospitals, Rehabilitation Centres and User Groups within CONTRAST provides the experience, connections, and infrastructure necessary to have a real impact on disease management, medical knowledge, PHS, and stroke patients.