KINGSTON, R.I.– July 22, 2026 – Discover the future of healthcare and neurotechnology at the University of Rhode Island’s Advances in Translational Neurotechnologies for Healthcare and Rehabilitation Symposium . This exciting one-day event will bring together leading researchers, clinicians, faculty, industry innovators, and students to explore groundbreaking advances at the intersection of engineering, neuroscience, healthcare, and rehabilitation, organized by URI associate professor of biomedical engineering Yalda Shahriari , chair of the symposium, and URI assistant professor of biomedical engineering Reza Abiri , symposium co-chair.
Taking place Friday, Aug. 14 , at the Fascitelli Center for Advanced Engineering on the University of Rhode Island’s Kingston Campus , the symposium will feature distinguished speakers, cutting-edge research presentations, interactive discussions, and valuable networking opportunities designed to foster collaboration and accelerate the translation of emerging neurotechnologies into real-world healthcare solutions. A central goal of the symposium is to also bridge the gap between academic discovery and practical applications that improve patient care and rehabilitation outcomes.
“Our goal is for attendees to gain a deeper understanding of how advances in engineering, neuroscience, and healthcare are shaping the future of medicine and rehabilitation,” said Shahriari, who is also acting chair of URI’s Department of Biomedical Engineering. “The symposium will highlight emerging opportunities at the intersection of neurotechnology and healthcare while showcasing URI’s growing strengths in biomedical engineering and neural engineering. With contributions from leading experts across academia, medicine, engineering, and industry, the symposium is designed to engage a broad audience interested in the future of translational neurotechnologies and healthcareinnovation.”
The symposium highlights the rapid growth of URI’s Department of Biomedical Engineering and the College of Engineering’s commitment to connecting groundbreaking research with real-world healthcare solutions.
The program will include lightning talks on emerging approaches in neural signal processing, machine learning, and neuroimaging; as well as sessions focused on “Neurorehabilitation, Plasticity, and Restoration of Function” and “Translational Neurotechnologies for Assessment, Neuromodulation, and Real-world Applications.” A panel discussion will also explore translational neurotechnologies from a cross-disciplinary perspective.
Attendees will hear from experts representing Harvard Medical School, Yale School of Medicine, and the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, among others. In addition, Dr. Jonathan Wolpaw, director of Albany Stratton VA Medical Center’s National Center for Adaptive Neurotechnologies, will deliver a feature talk on “Neurorehabilitation in the 21st Century: New Science, New Strategies, New Possibilities.”
Sessions will be led by Shahriari, Abiri, and URI professor of biomedical engineering Kunal Mankodiya. A full program and list of speakers is available on the event website .
“We’re extremely excited to host this symposium. It will give attendees the opportunity to learn from leaders in the neurotechnology space while also connecting with others and exploring the real-world impact of some of today’s most innovative research,” said Abiri.
By bringing together researchers, clinicians working in neural systems, neuroimaging, multimodal data integration, and translational neuroscience, Shahriari and Abiri hope that this symposium also sparks new partnerships and accelerates advances that improve healthcare and rehabilitation in Rhode Island and beyond.
Registration is open through Aug. 6. Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with leaders in the field, explore emerging technologies, and build new collaborations. Register today to secure your spot .