Head and neck rehabilitation in physical therapy research is a part of a global effort to improve life enhancement and expectancy for all. Doctoral mechanical engineering student Bradford Kerst (B.S. ’18, M.S. ’20) is joining this effort by designing a device to help patients improve head and neck control, a vital need in pediatric and neurological rehabilitation. This work led to Kerst being selected for the U.S. National Science Foundation I-Corps, a seven-week immersive program designed to accelerate lab research headed to market.
“Head and neck rehab can be sensitive and scary for the patient and their families,” he said. “That’s exactly why we built a robot for it. It’s consistent, safe and measurable.”
Kerst found inspiration working in a daycare his mother ran growing up, seeing toddlers with different backgrounds and physical abilities. Some of the younger children needed assistance with daily tasks, standing or being able to engage with others. Seeing others struggle with everyday tasks and movements made Kerst think early on about people’s experiences and ways to support their independence.
During his undergraduate studies, these thoughts resurfaced. UTulsa Professor of Mechanical Engineering Joshua Schultz, Ph.D., recruited Kerst to assist with a graduate research project on head and neck biomechanics. This experience motivated him to continue his studies, completing a master’s degree on neck muscle activity during head movements. Now, as a doctoral student, this work has become the basis of his dissertation.
With Schultz’s assistance, Kerst has created the company Auximotus, aiming to give physical and occupational therapists a consistent and safe machine to guide head movements during therapy sessions. The team plans for the technology to one day assist patients with severely impaired mobility like cerebral palsy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, post-stroke neuromotor deficits and more.
“Robots don’t get tired. You get the same predicted motion in the morning and the evening. Therapists need assistance with repetitions and the range of intensity for each patient. We’re building this for them to have a ‘third arm’ to help with these movements,” Kerst said.
He explained that repetition and intensity are two of the most important variables of improvement in rehabilitation. By automating the physical effort for therapists, the device offers consistency. Another feature of the device is sensory detection, detecting patient strength and fatigue. This will provide more accurate metrics for therapists.
Before testing the device on patients, Auximotus has completed months of safety and benchtop testing, including a list of every possible way the device could fail. The team has also consulted with three physical and occupational therapists to identify risks.
“If your laptop crashes, it’s annoying but not detrimental most of the time,” said Kerst. “If a software bug happens when someone’s head is in the device, that has real and severe consequences.”
Kerst emphasized he feels immense gratitude for the NSF I-Corps support. The program has allowed his work to receive recognition from other researchers, joining the effort to solve this real-world problem. Kerst plans to continue Auximotus, talking directly with therapists, clinics and hospitals to understand their needs.
“One thing we would hear therapists say is that they need more help on the physical end. With our resources, I figured it was time we build one,” he said, referring to UTulsa’s interdisciplinary expertise in kinesiology, materials science and robotics: “Seeing a child sit upright, look around and engage with their friends, even for 30 minutes, makes the hard days worth it. A lot of kids spend most of the day reclined just staring at the ceiling. If we can change that, that’s a good day.”