R. James Cotton
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peabody124.bsky.social
R. James Cotton
@peabody124.bsky.social
1.1K followers 950 following 65 posts
Physiatrist, neuroscientist, gait and movement, brain and robotics enthusiast. Assistant Professor at Northwestern and Shirley Ryan AbilityLab
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peabody124.bsky.social
R. James Cotton @peabody124.bsky.social · Nov 12
While rehabilitation is moving towards an era of big data, we still lack a framework to analyze this data to improve outcomes. We took a stab at this, which we call a "Causal Framework for Precision Rehabilitation." arxiv.org/abs/2411.03919
peabody124.bsky.social
If you are at @acrmrehab.bsky.social I will be presenting this morning (8am)

SPECIAL SYMPOSIUM: Ai-powered Movement Analysis and a Causal Framework for Precision Rehabilitation SS1 #ACRM2025 cdmcd.co/5npwMR
This proposal outlines a scientific approach for advancing precision rehabilitation through a novel Causal Framework. The framework aims to optimize therapeutic interventions by integrating data science, artificial intelligence (AI), and causal inference. It synthesizes concepts from Computational Neurorehabilitation, the International Classification of Functioning and Disability (ICF), and the Rehabilitation Treatment Specification System (RTSS). Central to this approach is the development of formal causal models, referred to as "digital twins," which simulate individual patient recovery trajectories. These models leverage heterogeneous, longitudinal data, encompassing clinical assessments and high-resolution measurements obtained via AI-powered movement analysis, such as computer vision-based gait analysis. The RTSS plays a critical role by enabling detailed documentation of treatment targets, active ingredients (viewed as causal influences), and mechanisms, which directly inform the construction of these causal models. The resulting models allow for counterfactual analysis—predicting how a patient might respond to different interventions. This informs an Optimal Dynamic Treatment Regimen (ODTR), guiding the selection of therapies to maximize long-term function across multiple ICF levels (body function, activity, participation), focusing on patient-valued outcomes. Illustrative case studies include EMG biofeedback for spinal cord injury, modeling its effects on motor function via mechanisms like activity-dependent plasticity, and post-stroke gait rehabilitation, integrating neurophysiology and kinematics to differentiate recovery mechanisms and predict outcomes from various interventions (e.g., high-intensity training, FES, AFOs). The framework acknowledges challenges like data integration and model complexity, emphasizing the need for transdisciplinary efforts and advanced methods like causal representation learning.
October 28, 2025 at 11:22 AM
peabody124.bsky.social
Super proud of this work led by JD Peiffer (@abilitylab.bsky.social and @tgsatnu.bsky.social)
preprint: arxiv.org/abs/2507.08268
project/code: intelligentsensingandrehabilitation.github.io/MonocularBio...

Open source code that lets you get state-of-the-art biomechanics from a smartphone
Portable Biomechanics Laboratory: Clinically Accessible Movement Analysis from a Handheld Smartphone
The way a person moves is a direct reflection of their neurological and musculoskeletal health, yet it remains one of the most underutilized vital signs in clinical practice. Although clinicians visua...
arxiv.org
July 14, 2025 at 6:08 AM
peabody124.bsky.social
Enjoyed presenting on "The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly: AI for SCI Clinicians" with @ryansolinskymd.bsky.social and @josezariffa.bsky.social. Great enthusiasm from the crowd on the topic and the lively discussion and nice followup from precourse
bsky.app/profile/ryan...
ryansolinskymd.bsky.social Ryan Solinsky, MD @ryansolinskymd.bsky.social · Jun 1
AI integration in spinal cord injury medicine precourse at the ASIA2025 meeting. Led by @peabody124.bsky.social and Dr. Sarah Brueningk. Learning lessons from other successful examples in Cancer, Alzheimer’s, Cardiology.
June 4, 2025 at 11:01 PM
Reposted by R. James Cotton
ryansolinskymd.bsky.social
AI integration in spinal cord injury medicine precourse at the ASIA2025 meeting. Led by @peabody124.bsky.social and Dr. Sarah Brueningk. Learning lessons from other successful examples in Cancer, Alzheimer’s, Cardiology.
June 1, 2025 at 4:38 PM
peabody124.bsky.social
Over the last few years we have been developing methods for markerless motion capture of biomechanics and getting them into the clinics, such as at @abilitylab.bsky.social.

We are now developing foundation models from these large datasets and testing what this enables. Two recent preprints:
May 27, 2025 at 9:36 PM
peabody124.bsky.social
Finally recovered from RehabWeek in Chicago, which was fantastic. It was a very successful week for the Intelligent Sensing and Rehabilitation lab at @abilitylab.bsky.social.

(p.s. sorry below for anyone on BlueSky who I couldn't find/failed to tag)
May 27, 2025 at 1:15 PM
peabody124.bsky.social
Looking forward to presenting on what we can do with large-scale biomechanics data in rehabilitation in the SoMNiR #RehabWeek 2025 session this afternoon! @abilitylab.bsky.social
Screenshot from a chat interface for biomechanics
May 15, 2025 at 5:39 PM
peabody124.bsky.social
@jdpeiffer.bsky.social and Tim Unger gave a great talk in the ICORR best student paper session on their work using markerless motion capture to track arm kinematics of people with stroke. arxiv.org/abs/2411.14992
JD Peiffer presenting with a methods slide describing end-to-end differentiable biomechanics. Tim Unger presenting with a slide showing arm kinematics
May 14, 2025 at 11:34 PM
peabody124.bsky.social
Really enoyed the session and engagement!
asnrehab.bsky.social ASNR @asnrehab.bsky.social · Apr 23
We're enjoying an engaging Q&A session with our #ASNR2025 speakers Dr. @lenating.bsky.social, Dr. Lucas McKay, Dr. Trisha Kesar, @peabody124.bsky.social, and Dr. Hyeok Kwon. We appreciate these thoughtful questions from the audience and responses from the panel!

#neurorehabilitation #neuroscience
Engaging Q&A Session at #ASNR2025 Engaging Q&A Session at #ASNR2025 Engaging Q&A Session at #ASNR2025
April 24, 2025 at 1:31 AM
Reposted by R. James Cotton
asnrehab.bsky.social
Continuing our #ASNR2025 symposium on #ArtificialIntelligence and computational modeling in #neurorehabilitation, @peabody124.bsky.social discussed how his lab is quantifying gait-based biomarkers during functional mobility tasks in diverse clinical settings.

#AI #neuroscience #rehabilitation
Dr. Cotton presenting onstage at #ASNR2025 Dr. Cotton presenting onstage at #ASNR2025 Dr. Cotton presenting onstage at #ASNR2025
April 23, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Reposted by R. James Cotton
mstangl.bsky.social
Very much looking forward to our speakers: @maryamshanechi.bsky.social, @hugospiers.bsky.social, Marom Bikson, @jenpitt.bsky.social, Mary Czerwinski, @peabody124.bsky.social, @dpferris.bsky.social, @sladouce.bsky.social, Matthew Rizzo,
@c-rothkopf.bsky.social, @doriswang.bsky.social, Ying Choon Wu
March 31, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Reposted by R. James Cotton
asnrehab.bsky.social
Don't miss our #ASNR2025 session on #AI and computational modeling to diagnose and treat functional mobility deficits! We can't wait to hear the latest from Drs. @lenating.bsky.social, @jlucasmckay.bsky.social, @peabody124.bsky.social, Trisha Kesar, & Hyeok Kwon! 🧠🔄 🧠📈 🧪
www.asnr.com/i4a/pages/in...
The text at the top reads, "#ASNR2025 Scientific Symposium 2: Artificial Intelligence and Computational Modeling for Diagnosis and Treatment of Functional Mobility Deficits". there are headshot photos below of each of the speakers named in the post. The text at the bottom reads, "Wednesday, April 23, 2:15 pm - 3:15 pm ET, Grand Hyatt Buckhead in Atlanta, GA". The logo for the American Society of Neurorehabilitation appears in the lower right.
March 5, 2025 at 5:33 PM
peabody124.bsky.social
@ben-petrie.bsky.social gave a great #physiatry2025 presentation on EMG biofeedback for people with spinal cord injury and won first prize! Thanks to the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation for support for this project, and to all of our participants.

Excited to share this soon in an upcoming manuscript!
Photo of Ben Petrie standing in front of his slide title "Gamified Electromyographic Biofeedback for People with Tetraplegia
March 1, 2025 at 11:50 PM
peabody124.bsky.social
The Potential for AI to Enhance Physiatry and Precision Rehabilitation Thursday, February 27, 2025 11:15 AM – 12:15 PM MST Location: 102 A-C
February 27, 2025 at 1:27 AM
peabody124.bsky.social
Are you interested in data science and spinal cord injury? Looking for an opportunity to explore it?

Then I highly recommend checking out the data science challenge organized through ASIA.

www.kaggle.com/competitions...

www.kaggle.com/competitions...
Spinal Cord Injury Challenge - Functional Track
2025 American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) Challenge: Prediction of functional recovery after traumatic spinal cord injury
www.kaggle.com
February 17, 2025 at 1:34 PM
peabody124.bsky.social
I'm at APTA CSM:
- (PD-21072) Pediatrics Research Forum Precision Rehabilitation
02/13/25 Time: 3:00PM-5:00PM
- (NE-21770) Markerless Motion Capture Tools for Outcomes Assessment: Expanding Capacity and Diversity for Next Generation Neurorehabilitation.
02/14/25 Time: 11:00AM-1:00PM
February 13, 2025 at 12:05 PM
peabody124.bsky.social
Pretty pleased about this work arxiv.org/abs/2502.06486 with @sinzlab.bsky.social showing how we can infer kinematic confidence intervals from multiview markerless motion capture.

At least for our purposes, methods like this are equally important to traditional validation studies. #BiomechSky
Biomechanical Reconstruction with Confidence Intervals from Multiview Markerless Motion Capture
Advances in multiview markerless motion capture (MMMC) promise high-quality movement analysis for clinical practice and research. While prior validation studies show MMMC performs well on average, the...
arxiv.org
February 11, 2025 at 12:48 PM
peabody124.bsky.social
Super stoked about the progress @jdpeiffer.bsky.social is making on monocular biomechanical analysis. Also really fun to connect back to my old drone hobby (and they are so much easier now than a decade ago buildandcrash.blogspot.com/2014/10/refl...)
February 3, 2025 at 6:03 PM
peabody124.bsky.social
The team did great work validating end-to-end optimization of markerless motion capture in the upper extremity for people with stroke.

Compared to optical motion capture, tracking the elbow within a few degrees :). Other metrics are also great.

Really enjoying the collaboration with LLUI!
arxiv-cs-cv.bsky.social arxiv cs.CV @arxiv-cs-cv.bsky.social · Nov 25
Tim Unger, Arash Sal Moslehian, J. D. Peiffer, Johann Ullrich, Roger Gassert, Olivier Lambercy, R. James Cotton, Chris...
Differentiable Biomechanics for Markerless Motion Capture in Upper Limb Stroke Rehabilitation: A Comparison with Optical Motion Capture
https://arxiv.org/abs/2411.14992
November 26, 2024 at 1:17 PM
Reposted by R. James Cotton
asnrehab.bsky.social
We've started working on a #Neurorehabilitation Starter Pack to help researchers, clinicians, and other professionals in the field get connected.

Please reply or message to be added to or removed from the list. We're excited to see a growing neurorehab community here!

go.bsky.app/4Vgz8Kz
November 15, 2024 at 5:24 PM
Reposted by R. James Cotton
matthieuboisgontier.com
This starter pack is intended for researchers in all areas of gait and posture - just let me know if you would like to be added. go.bsky.app/UaoaLRZ
November 17, 2024 at 5:44 PM
peabody124.bsky.social
Been having some great conversations and presentations about this preprint since it came out. I'm really pleased by how postively many people are responding to it.

I'd love to hear from the community of any people they know doing relevant causal inference work (rehab or not).
peabody124.bsky.social R. James Cotton @peabody124.bsky.social · Nov 12
While rehabilitation is moving towards an era of big data, we still lack a framework to analyze this data to improve outcomes. We took a stab at this, which we call a "Causal Framework for Precision Rehabilitation." arxiv.org/abs/2411.03919
November 22, 2024 at 2:44 PM
peabody124.bsky.social
I enjoyed presenting at the ICOT meeting in Gran Cararia www.jornadasicotdca.com. Very fun learning and hearing more about international rehabilitation and seeing the vibrant community they have here!
Me standing at a podium presenting with a slide behind me in Spanish
November 15, 2024 at 7:14 PM
peabody124.bsky.social
I enjoyed speaking about this framework in my #ICNR2024 plenary and the amount of positive feedback about it. Looking forward to future interactions!
Me wearing a suit and presenting in front of a crowd with a slide to the right that shows our gait analysis tools
November 12, 2024 at 9:07 AM
peabody124.bsky.social
While rehabilitation is moving towards an era of big data, we still lack a framework to analyze this data to improve outcomes. We took a stab at this, which we call a "Causal Framework for Precision Rehabilitation." arxiv.org/abs/2411.03919
November 12, 2024 at 9:05 AM