Dr.Fazal Ilahi, an esteemed Interventional Neurologist at Apollo Hospitals, Trichy, delivered a compelling seminar on "Brain Signal Processing in Neuro-Rehabilitation" on 19.8.2024 organised by the Dept of Instrumentation and Control Engg (ICE).
During his talk, Dr. Ilahi noted Stroke as the second leading cause of death globally. He began by emphasizing and calling attention to the rising number of cases worldwide and stressing the need for early detection and intervention. He discussed the BEFAST strategy, which is a memory aid designed to recognize stroke symptoms, with each letter standing for Balance, Eyes, Face, Arm, Speech, and Time. He further stressed the importance of identifying these signs and seeking immediate medical assistance as it improves the chance of recovery. He raised concerns about how patients often ignore or underestimate stroke symptoms.
Dr.Ilahi discussed the role of neuro-rehabilitation in reactivating brain function post-stroke. He highlighted the importance of gait trainers in helping patients regain motor control and improve walking. Dr. Ilahi also mentioned brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) and their transformative potential in neuro-rehabilitation. He stressed how BCI can create a direct communication pathway between the brain and external devices, providing patients with severe motor impairments new ways to rehabilitate. He also encouraged the students to pursue their research in the field of rehabilitation.
More than 100 participants including students, research scholars staff and faculty members benefitted from this seminar.