Rice, Houston Methodist developing soft 'sleep cap' to advance dementia prevention research

Rice University researchers are working with physician scientists at Houston Methodist to develop a soft, wearable "sleep cap" designed to measure and improve deep sleep, a process critical for protecting the brain against dementia and related diseases. The project, a collaboration between mechanical engineers Daniel J. Preston and Vanessa Sanchez, electrical and computer engineer Behnaam Aazhang, Houston Methodist neurologist Dr. Timea Hodics and Dr. Gavin Britz, director of the Houston Methodist Neurological Institute and chairman of the Department of Neurosurgery, is part of Rice's broader commitment to brain health research and its support for the Dementia Prevention Research Institute of Texas (DPRIT).

"Rice is proud to support DPRIT and highlight how this initiative can accelerate critical dementia-related research," said Aazhang, the J.S. Abercrombie Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and director of the Rice Neuroengineering Initiative. "The technology we're building has the potential to improve both diagnostics and therapies for neurodegenerative diseases."

Deep sleep is essential for clearing waste products from the brain through the flow of cerebrospinal fluid. These nightly "cleaning cycles" help remove toxic proteins, such as amyloids, that accumulate during the day and are linked to Alzheimer's disease and other dementias.

"Our goal is to measure and improve the brain's ability to clear waste during deep sleep," Aazhang said. "We are building a system that not only tracks the brain's clearing process but can also stimulate it, improving natural mechanisms that protect against neurodegeneration."

Earlier proof-of-concept devices developed by the team successfully demonstrated the promise of this approach, but the prototypes are too rigid for comfortable sleep. Preston and Sanchez are leading the effort to transform the design into a lightweight, textile-based cap.

"One of the areas of expertise we have here at Rice is designing wearable devices from soft and flexible materials," said Preston, assistant professor of mechanical engineering. "We've already shown this concept works in rigid device prototypes. Now we're building a soft, breathable cap that people can comfortably wear while they sleep."

Sanchez, also an assistant professor of mechanical engineering, explained that advanced 3D knitting technologies allow them to embed sensors and conductors directly into textile structures.

"The idea is to create a cap that feels as comfortable as a sweater, while still maintaining contact with the skin and recording signals," Sanchez said. "In the future, we envision being able to personalize these devices based on body scans, making them truly tailored for patients."

The research also has implications beyond dementia. Neuroinflammation—swelling in the brain that can be caused by injury, stroke, disease or lifestyle factors—is increasingly recognized as a driver of neurodegeneration. The research team is already pursuing proposals to adapt their technology to measure inflammation and stimulate the brain's natural plasticity to recover function.

"Our brain has an incredible ability to rewire itself," Aazhang said. "If we can harness that through technology, we can open new doors for treating not just dementia but also traumatic brain injury, stroke, Parkinson's disease and more."

Rice's collaboration with Houston Methodist is central to the project. Houston Methodist provides access to clinicians and patients for early trials, including studies of people with traumatic brain injury and stroke.

"Without clinical partners, we couldn't test these systems in real-world conditions," Preston said. "This partnership is essential for moving from lab prototypes to patient-ready devices."

DPRIT, signed into law in May 2025 and headed for voter approval in November as Proposition 14, will dedicate $3 billion to fund neurological research across the state if passed. Its goals are to accelerate discovery, drive commercialization of brain-health technologies and make Texas a global leader in dementia research.

"We have entered an era in neuroscience that will result in transformational cures in diseases of the brain and spinal cord," Britz said. "DPRIT could make Texas the hub of these discoveries."

Provided by Rice University