Hwa Sen Lai

About

Hwa Sen Lai is a leading researcher in neurorehabilitation engineering, with a focus on developing soft robotic systems for stroke recovery. His work centers on integrating brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) with wearable robotic gloves and socks to restore hand and foot function in chronic stroke patients. Lai’s most influential contribution is the BCI-Controlled Soft Robotic Glove (BCI-SRG), which combines neural decoding with activities of daily living (ADL)-oriented tasks. A 2020 randomized feasibility study (153 citations) demonstrated its clinical potential, showing significant motor improvements. He further advanced the field with a bidirectional fabric-based soft robotic glove (2023, 28 citations) that assists both grasping and releasing. Lai has also explored the neurophysiological mechanisms of soft robotic therapy, revealing how proprioceptive stimulation alters motor cortex activation and brain connectivity (2021, 15 citations). Beyond device development, he applies early health economic modeling to guide innovation, as seen in his work on a soft robotic sock for post-stroke patients in Singapore (2023, 8 citations). His research bridges engineering, neuroscience, and health economics, offering practical, scalable solutions for stroke rehabilitation.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Brain-Computer Interface-Based Soft Robotic Glove Rehabilitation for Stroke

   153 citations · 2020
2. 2
   A bidirectional fabric-based soft robotic glove for hand function assistance in patients with chronic stroke

   28 citations · 2023
3. 3
   Effect of proprioceptive stimulation using a soft robotic glove on motor activation and brain connectivity in stroke survivors

   15 citations · 2021
4. 4
   Using early health economic modeling to inform medical innovation development: a soft robotic sock in poststroke patients in Singapore

   8 citations · 2023

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links