HSE University Presents Smart Orthosis at Hope for Technology Forum
On July 10–11, 2025, Moscow hosted the 10th Hope for Technology National Forum of the Rehabilitation Industry and Universal Design. The event was aimed at discussing innovative achievements in the rehabilitation industry. The MIEM Student Design Bureau and the HSE Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience presented a smart orthosis, which was developed at the request of orthopedists.
The Smart Orthosis project is a comprehensive rehabilitation system geared towards helping in the development of motor activity in patients (primarily children) who experience difficulty bending their arm at the elbow joint. The system operates on the basis of an electromyographic signal (EMG). The developers guarantee an individual approach with automatic personal adjustment to the individual characteristics of the patient. This development solves several rehabilitation problems at once: it increases the effectiveness of surgical intervention, reduces dependence on third parties (psychologists, parents) in existing rehabilitation programmes, and improves the ability to monitor the recovery process.
Evgeny Blagoveshchensky, Leading Research Fellow at the Centre for Cognition & Decision Making of the Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience, notes that the idea to develop an orthosis arose following the request of orthopedists as a result of cooperation between HSE University and the G. Turner National Medical Research Center for Pediatric Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation. ‘In Russia, rehabilitation processes are often standardised, and personal programmes are an exception. Initially, we tried to find ready-made solutions, but they were unavailable even on the global market. This prompted us to create our own solution. Thanks to specialists from the MIEM Design Bureau, we managed to create the first prototype, which was presented at the exhibition. It is an exoskeleton with assistive functions that can adapt to the patient's needs. We hope to put it into production soon,’ adds Blagoveshchensky.
The orthosis consists of a mechanical exoskeleton, software, a biofeedback system, a digital gaming platform, and myography sensors. The intelligent system will analyse the patient's movements and adjust to them, providing fixation in the hand and biceps area and precise movement control.
The project was well received by forum guests and Minister of Industry and Trade Anton Alikhanov, who expressed interest in the implementation of the product and its potential for further application in daily practice.
Dmitry Kovalenko
Dmitry Kovalenko, HSE University Vice Rector and Director of HSE MIEM, says that the renewed Student Design Bureau at MIEM is intended to become an innovative hub for supporting student design developments aimed at further widespread implementation. ‘This means comprehensive organisational, methodological and substantive support, as well as the development of optimal models for the institute's interaction with partner companies and customers. The smart orthosis is the first step, a kind of pilot project. It’s great that it was highly praised by experts in science and the real sector,’ he adds.
During the forum, specialists from the MIEM Student Design Bureau and the HSE Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience held talks with representatives of potential partner companies of the project.
Ilya Ivanov
Ilya Ivanov, Leading Research Fellow at the School of Electronic Engineering of the HSE Tikhonov Moscow Institute of Electronics and Mathematics and Head of the MIEM Design Bureau, comments: ‘We consider healthcare to be one of our current priorities. It’s a huge field for the application of AI technologies. Our students are happy to participate in such projects, both because there are many truly non-trivial and creative tasks, and because these tasks are aimed at achieving perhaps the most worthwhile goals—preserving human health and helping with rehabilitation.’
Veronika Prokhorova
Veronika Prokhorova, MIEM's Deputy Director for Project Work, notes that the MIEM Design Bureau, where students implement technological product projects, has already established fruitful partnerships with large manufacturers of various modern equipment, as well as among leading HSE departments. ‘We value these partnerships and hope to present other developments of the design bureau in the near future,’ adds Prokhorova.
For more news about the activity of the HSE MIEM Design Bureau, please see the official Telegram channel (in Russian).
About the Hope for Technology Forum
The forum was held on July 11–12 in Moscow at the Lomonosov Cluster of the Moscow State University Innovation Centre. The participants, including leading experts in the field of healthcare, rehabilitation technologies, representatives of ministries, government agencies, and large equipment manufacturers, had an opportunity to learn more about advanced developments and integrated solutions aimed at creating a barrier-free environment, as well as the latest technological solutions designed to make life easier for people with disabilities and limited mobility.
See also:
HSE University to Host Second ‘Genetics and the Heart’ Congress
HSE University, the National Research League of Cardiac Genetics, and the Central State Medical Academy of the Administrative Directorate of the President will hold the Second ‘Genetics and the Heart’ Congress with international participation. The event will take place on February 7–8, 2026, at the HSE University Cultural Centre.
HSE University Develops Tool for Assessing Text Complexity in Low-Resource Languages
Researchers at the HSE Centre for Language and Brain have developed a tool for assessing text complexity in low-resource languages. The first version supports several of Russia’s minority languages, including Adyghe, Bashkir, Buryat, Tatar, Ossetian, and Udmurt. This is the first tool of its kind designed specifically for these languages, taking into account their unique morphological and lexical features.
HSE Scientists Uncover How Authoritativeness Shapes Trust
Researchers at the HSE Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience have studied how the brain responds to audio deepfakes—realistic fake speech recordings created using AI. The study shows that people tend to trust the current opinion of an authoritative speaker even when new statements contradict the speaker’s previous position. This effect also occurs when the statement conflicts with the listener’s internal attitudes. The research has been published in the journal NeuroImage.
Language Mapping in the Operating Room: HSE Neurolinguists Assist Surgeons in Complex Brain Surgery
Researchers from the HSE Center for Language and Brain took part in brain surgery on a patient who had been seriously wounded in the SMO. A shell fragment approximately five centimetres long entered through the eye socket, penetrated the cranial cavity, and became lodged in the brain, piercing the temporal lobe responsible for language. Surgeons at the Burdenko Main Military Clinical Hospital removed the foreign object while the patient remained conscious. During the operation, neurolinguists conducted language tests to ensure that language function was preserved.
HSE MIEM and AlphaCHIP Innovation Centre Sign Cooperation Agreement
The key objectives of the partnership include joint projects in microelectronics and the involvement of company specialists in supervising the research activities of undergraduate and postgraduate students. Plans also focus on the preparation of joint academic publications, the organisation of industrial placements and student internships, and professional development programmes for the company’s specialists.
HSE University and InfoWatch Group Sign Cooperation Agreement
HSE University and the InfoWatch Group of Companies marked the start of a new stage in their collaboration with the signing of a new agreement. The partnership aims to develop educational programmes and strengthen the practical training of specialists for the digital economy. The parties will cooperate in developing and reviewing curricula, and experts from InfoWatch will be involved in teaching and mentoring IT and information security specialists at HSE University.
Scientists Discover One of the Longest-Lasting Cases of COVID-19
An international team, including researchers from HSE University, examined an unusual SARS-CoV-2 sample obtained from an HIV-positive patient. Genetic analysis revealed multiple mutations and showed that the virus had been evolving inside the patient’s body for two years. This finding supports the theory that the virus can persist in individuals for years, gradually accumulate mutations, and eventually spill back into the population. The study's findings have been published in Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology.
HSE Scientists Use MEG for Precise Language Mapping in the Brain
Scientists at the HSE Centre for Language and Brain have demonstrated a more accurate way to identify the boundaries of language regions in the brain. They used magnetoencephalography (MEG) together with a sentence-completion task, which activates language areas and reveals their functioning in real time. This approach can help clinicians plan surgeries more effectively and improve diagnostic accuracy in cases where fMRI is not the optimal method. The study has been published in the European Journal of Neuroscience.
HSE Scientists Develop DeepGQ: AI-based 'Google Maps' for G-Quadruplexes
Researchers at the HSE AI Research Centre have developed an AI model that opens up new possibilities for the diagnosis and treatment of serious diseases, including brain cancer and neurodegenerative disorders. Using artificial intelligence, the team studied G-quadruplexes—structures that play a crucial role in cellular function and in the development of organs and tissues. The findings have been published in Scientific Reports.
HSE Strategic Technological Projects in 2025
In 2025, HSE University continued its participation in the Priority 2030 Strategic Academic Leadership Programme, maintaining a strong focus on technological leadership in line with the programme’s updated framework. A key element of the university’s technological leadership strategy is its Strategic Technological Projects (STPs), aimed at creating in-demand, knowledge-intensive products and services.