UTA students win national invention award
Two University of Texas at Arlington undergraduates have won a national invention award for developing a lightweight, wearable soft robotic wrist exoskeleton designed to help stroke survivors regain wrist function.
Suyog Neupane, a senior majoring in electrical engineering, and Kritazya Upreti, a senior majoring in computer science, earned first place in the university-level division of the 2026 National Academy of Inventors GenSpiration Prize Competition in Los Angeles. The competition brought together student inventors from universities across the United States, and UTA was one of only three finalist teams.
The students were inspired by the global impact of stroke, which affects millions of people each year. Loss of wrist and hand function is one of the most common consequences of stroke, making everyday activities such as eating, writing and turning a doorknob difficult or impossible.
"Competing against such talented innovators was both an incredible honor and an inspiring experience," Upreti said. "Seeing our hard work and innovation recognized on such a large stage was truly rewarding."
Their invention is a soft pneumatic wrist exoskeleton powered by air pressure rather than heavy motors or rigid mechanical components. Its key innovation is that it can produce two degrees of wrist motion simultaneously—flexion/extension and radial/ulnar—using a single compact soft actuator, improving portability while reducing mechanical complexity.
"Most devices currently available for wrist rehabilitation are either too heavy, bulky or difficult to operate," Upreti said. "One of our main motivations was to develop a solution that could provide multiple wrist motions using a single actuator."
The undergraduate team was mentored by Inderjeet Singh, a research scientist at the University of Texas at Arlington Research Institute. He emphasized that the design is grounded in modern rehabilitation robotics principles, where effective recovery depends on providing controlled, repeatable and task-specific movement training. He added that supporting multiple wrist movements together is critical because natural hand function depends on them working in coordination, making that capability essential for meaningful rehabilitation.
The exoskeleton is designed to support patients throughout different stages of stroke recovery. For individuals with severe motor impairments, it can assist with the repetitive wrist movements commonly prescribed during rehabilitation. As patients regain strength and mobility, the device transitionts to assisting voluntary wrist movements, enabling users to perform therapeutic exercises and promoting active participation in the recovery process.
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The award-winning project was the result of a collaborative effort within the Biomedical Technologies Lab at UTARI. Along with mentoring the student inventors, Dr. Singh and UTARI research scientist Veysel Erel led the project's research and development. UTARI research scientists Allison Palomino and Sahil Mangaonkar contributed to device fabrication and electronics development, while UTARI research scientist Alex Jamieson provided valuable support in refining and finalizing the overall system. Together, the multidisciplinary team transformed an innovative concept into a nationally recognized technology.
Beyond stroke rehabilitation, the researchers see broader applications for the device. Individuals whose occupations involve repetitive wrist movements—such as assembly-line workers and heavy-equipment operators—could potentially use the exoskeleton to reduce fatigue, minimize strain, and lower the risk of work-related musculoskeletal injuries.
"What means the most to us is the potential for our technology to make a positive impact on the lives of stroke survivors," Neupane said. "The journey was both challenging and exciting, filled with moments of trial and error that pushed us to think more creatively and innovate."
About The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA)
The University of Texas at Arlington is a growing public research university in the heart of Dallas-Fort Worth. With a student body of over 42,700, UTA is the second-largest institution in the University of Texas System, offering more than 180 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Recognized as a Carnegie R-1 university, UTA stands among the nation’s top 5% of institutions for research activity. UTA and its 300,000 alumni generate an annual economic impact of $28.8 billion for the state. The University has received the Innovation and Economic Prosperity designation from the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities and has earned recognition for its focus on student access and success, considered key drivers to economic growth and social progress for North Texas and beyond.