WT Researcher Part of Team Investigating Sensors to Track Neurological Disease

Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, cchandler@wtamu.edu

CANYON, Texas — A team of researchers, including a West Texas A&M University engineering professor, recently won a $10,000 award to further study the potential of wearable sensors that can track the progression of degenerative neurological diseases.

The team, which won the top award for the 2024 Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station, is led by Dr. Ngozi Mbue of Texas Woman’s University–Houston and includes Dr. Azi Tabei, assistant professor of electrical engineering and computer science in WT’s College of Engineering.

Their project, “Advancing Neurodegenerative Disease (ND) Management: Sensor-Based Risk Profiling and Disease Progression Monitoring,” proposes outfitting patients with lightweight sensors that will be embedded in the soles of their shoes.

The sensors would track such risk factors as physical activity and sleep quality as well as the progression of such neurodegenerative diseases as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. They could also measure such biological markers as sweat and muscle rigidity.

Data would be synced to an app and collated for physicians’ review.

The project was initiated during brainstorming sessions at the TEES Annual Research Conference, held May 20 and 21 at the Zachry Engineering Education Complex and the Texas A&M Hotel and Conference Center in College Station.

In addition to Mbue, Tabei’s team also included Dr. Rhett Rigby of Texas Woman’s University­–Denton and Dr. Karen N. Williams of Del Mar College. Tabei’s expertise in wearable sensors and biomedical and healthcare applications paired with the other members’ knowledge of patient data, wearables and neurodegenerative diseases.

“Securing this award not only underscores our innovative approach but also provides critical funding to advance this technology further,” Tabei said. “Our team hopes our efforts will translate into tangible, real-world tools that markedly enhance the monitoring and management of diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, thus improving patient care and quality of life.”

The conference brings together representatives from TEES regional divisions and affiliates to develop projects in hopes of expanding research capacity in the state of Texas. Participants network with funding agencies, advance their research proposals and work with colleagues to pursue funding within the TEES thematic workgroups: Energy & Power, Healthcare, Information Systems/Data Science, Infrastructure, Materials & Manufacturing and National Security/Cybersecurity.

Other projects winning TEES awards dealt with sustainability in construction, reducing fall injuries in the elderly, hydrogen generation in space, cyberintelligence and more.

Meeting area needs as a Regional Research University is the primary goal of the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

That plan is fueled by the historic One West comprehensive fundraising campaign, which reached its initial $125 million goal 18 months after publicly launching in September 2021. The campaign’s new goal is to reach $175 million by 2025; currently, it has raised nearly $160 million.

About the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station

TEES is the official research agency of Texas A&M Engineering and is pivotal in advancing interdisciplinary research across The Texas A&M University System. TEES is dedicated to addressing complex challenges through applied engineering research, managing research grants and contracts and actively fostering partnerships with industry, government and academia, benefitting Texas A&M Engineering faculty and researchers.

About West Texas A&M University

WT is located in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT, a Hispanic Serving Institution since 2016, boasts an enrollment of about 10,000 and offers 59 undergraduate degree programs and more than 40 graduate degrees, including two doctoral degrees. The University is also home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest’s finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 14 men’s and women’s athletics programs.

Photo: At the 2024 Conference, the BANDs team won the $10,000 Award for their project “Advancing Neurodegenerative Disease (ND) Management: Sensor-Based Risk Profiling and Disease Progression Monitoring” that proposes in-sole wearable sensors that track risk factors (e.g., physical activity, sleep, cytokine levels) and disease progression (e.g., dyskinesia, tremors, rigidity, gait abnormalities) for conditions like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. From left to right, Rodney Bowersox, Deputy Director, Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station; Fatemeh (Azi) Tabei from West Texas A&M University; Rhett Rigby from Texas Woman’s University-Denton; Principal Investigator Ngozi Mbue from Texas Woman’s University-Houston; Karen N. Williams from Del Mar College; and Joseph N. Dunn, Assistant Vice Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer, TEES.

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