Kenya Wada

About

Kenya Wada is a leading researcher in neurorehabilitation, specializing in brain-machine interfaces (BMIs) and motor-imagery training for stroke recovery. His work focuses on restoring motor function in patients with paralysis by harnessing neural plasticity. Wada’s most influential study (2018, 61 citations) demonstrated that combining action observation with motor-imagery training and proprioceptive neurofeedback significantly enhances motor-imagery ability—a critical step for effective BMI control. He further advanced the field by developing a BMI rehabilitation system that uses event-related desynchronization (ERD) in the mu band (8–13 Hz) to trigger proprioceptive feedback, enabling stroke patients to regain voluntary motor control through real-time brain activity modulation (2019, 14 citations). Wada also created the Digital Mirror Box (DMB), a physiologically congruent neurofeedback system that trains affected motor cortical activity in stroke patients with hand paralysis (2018, 6 citations). His innovative integration of proprioceptive feedback with neurofeedback has opened new pathways for patient-driven rehabilitation, making him a key figure in translating BMI technology into clinical practice.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Enhancement of motor-imagery ability via combined action observation and motor-imagery training with proprioceptive neurofeedback

   61 citations · 2018
2. 2
   Development of a Brain-machine Interface for Stroke Rehabilitation Using Event-related Desynchronization and Proprioceptive Feedback

   14 citations · 2019
3. 3
   Hand Motor Rehabilitation of Patients with Stroke Using Physiologically Congruent Neurofeedback

   6 citations · 2018

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links