Project Description

Belén Rubio Ballester

Postdoctoral Researcher
[email protected]

Dr. Belén Rubio is a post-doctoral researcher at the SPECS lab of the Institute of Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC). Belen has a background in computational science, development of VR- based solutions for value-based healthcare, clinical validation, computational modeling of recovery, and a track-record in neurorehabilitation. In 2010 she obtained a master’s degree in cognitive science and interactive media (CSIM) and in 2016 she graduated with honors (Cum Laude) obtaining a Ph.D. in Information and Communication Technologies for Neurorehabilitation at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra. Her PhD aimed at identifying the principles of motor relearning after stroke. She is the author of a number of recent publications proposing a novel motor rehabilitation approach based on sensorimotor manipulations and reinforcement. Specifically, her work reveals that the sensory augmentation of goal-oriented body movements immediately enhances performance and promotes the spontaneous use of the patient’s affected arm. Her interests lie preliminarily in the development, deployment and validation of assistive devices for neurorehabilitation and motor learning. Since 2017 she is the team leader of the Neurorehabilitation group at the SPECS-lab, Scientific consultant at Eodyne Systems S.L., and an associate professor, (research methods courses and UX), at Universitat Pompeu Fabra and Universitat Oberta de Catalunya.

Selected publications

• Augmented embodied dyadic therapy boosts recovery in patients with non- fluent aphasia: a randomised controlled trial (Stroke – AHA Journals, 2019)

• Domiciliary VR-Based Therapy for Functional Recovery and Cortical Reorganization: Randomized Controlled Trial in Participants at the Chronic Stage Post Stroke. JMIR, 2017)

• A Wearable Bracelet Device for Promoting Arm Use in Stroke Patients (ICN, 2016)

• The visual amplification of goal-oriented movements counteracts acquired non-use in hemiparetic stroke patients. (JNER, 2015)

see Research Activity