Sleep-Driven Haptic Stimulation for Resilient Somatosensory Rehabilitation

Touch, as one of the five primary senses, provides critical somatosensory information, including pressure, vibration, temperature, pain, and skin stress. Somatosensory deficits, often resulting from stroke or aging, significantly impair fingertip sensitivity, affecting daily function and quality of life. Vibrotactile stimulation devices have emerged as a modern therapeutic approach to address these deficits. A well-established bidirectional relationship exists between somatosensory function and sleep, where somatosensory stimulation aids sleep regulation, and sleep enhances somatosensory recovery. However, the potential of somatosensory therapy in ambulatory settings remains largely unexplored. While MRI and EEG have been used to measure the effects of somatosensory stimulation, current therapeutic evaluations still rely primarily on patient feedback, highlighting the need for objective assessment methods. This research initiates an in-depth literature review on the interplay between somatosensory therapy and sleep, alongside the application of EEG for therapy evaluation in home environments. The study aims to guide data selection strategies by sourcing information from patients, therapy sessions, sleep monitoring, and EEG recordings. A system architecture will be designed to integrate somatosensory therapy with sleep monitoring and EEG, addressing hardware requirements, communication protocols, and information architecture. Furthermore, deep learning models will be developed to analyze the interaction between sleep and somatosensory therapy, enabling personalized therapy adaptations.