Novel technologies for closing the loop between the clinic and the home

Changes in population demographics have led to more people aging into and with disability, placing an increasing burden on society [1-3]. For instance, there are increasing numbers of individuals living with neurological deficits such as stroke who have the potential to recover in the home setting - however, left on their own, these individuals can suffer from decreased functional ability [4, 5]. Novel technologies present the ability to close the loop between the clinician and the patient as people navigate through ambient settings while living with chronic conditions. The targeted use of assistive technologies to address this outstanding need requires the development of wearable sensors, algorithms to extract meaningful clinical data, and mechanisms to provide feedback to affect health outcomes. In particular, the application of wearable sensing and robotic technologies can be used to address unsolved problems in motor rehabilitation [6-8]. Validation of these techniques will lead to the translation of laboratory and clinic-based techniques into daily life, and patient-centered approaches to medical interventions.