Cara E. Stepp, Ph.D.

Photo of Dr. Stepp width=Assistant Professor, Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences
Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering

Stepp Lab

PhD, Biomedical Engineering, Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences &Technology
SM, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts
Institute of Technology
SB, Engineering Science, Smith College
Email: cstepp@bu.edu

Research Interests

Engineering tools to rehabilitate disordered sensorimotor function.

Current Research

  • Understanding the relationship between acoustic parameters and speech and voice physiology as measured by kinematics (using electromagnetography and optics) and neural signals (sEMG, hooked wire EMG, EEG) in a variety of disorders (e.g., Parkinson’s disease, laryngeal dystonia, vocal hyperfunction) to develop objective measures of voice and speech to aid clinical assessment
  • Developing and testing novel videogame-based rehabilitation interventions to improve the quality of life of individuals with sensorimotor disorders of speech and swallowing
  • Using cortical and neuromuscular oscillations to identify functional biomarkers for disorders of fine motor control (e.g., speech, swallowing, upper limb control) to design rehabilitation protocols able to specifically target motor learning
  • Developing novel neurotechnology for speech assistance and rehabilitation

Selected Recent Publications

Stepp C.E., Matsuoka Y. “Object Manipulation Improvements with Single Session Training Outweigh the Differences among Stimulation Sites during Vibrotactile Feedback” IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering. (In Press)

Stepp C.E., Britton D., Chang, C., Merati, A., Matsuoka, Y. “Feasibility of Game-based Electromyographic Biofeedback for Dysphagia Rehabilitation” Proceedings of the 5th International IEEE EMBS Conference on Neural Engineering of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. April 27 – May 1, 2011. (In Press)

Stepp C.E., Hillman R.E., Heaton J.T. “A Virtual Trajectory Model Predicts Differences in Vocal Fold Kinematics in Individuals with Vocal Hyperfunction” Journal of the Acoustical Society of America. 127 (5). (2010)

Stepp C.E., Hillman R.E., Heaton J.T. “Use of Neck Strap Muscle Intermuscular Coherence as a Measure of Vocal Hyperfunction” IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering. 18 (30). (2010)

Stepp C.E., Heaton J.T., Rolland R.G., Hillman R.E. “Neck and Face Surface Electromyography for Prosthetic Voice Control after Total Laryngectomy” IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering. 17 (2). (2009)