Neuroengineering is a novel discipline combining engineering including micro
and nanotechnology, electrical and mechanical, and computer science with
cellular, molecular, cognitive neuroscience with two main goals: (i) increase
our basic knowledge of how the nervous system works; (ii) develop systems able
to restore functions in people affected by different types of neural
disability. In the past years, several breakthroughs have been reached by
neuroengineers in particular on the development of neurotechnologies able to
restore sensorimotor functions in disabled people. In this presentation,
three main research activities on this topic carried out by my laboratory in
the past years will be presented. First, the recent results achieved after the
implantation of intraneural electrodes in an amputee will be presented. We
showed that using this approach it is possible to restore the bidirectional
connection between a dexterous hand prosthesis and the nervous system. The
user was also able to improve his ability to provide useful motor commands
over time. Secondly, the progress towards the development of robotic systems
for the comprehension and restoration of the neural control of movements such
as reaching and walking will be also shown. Finally, my ongoing activities to
develop the first implantable vestibular neuroprosthesis will be also briefly
described.
Neuroengineering
Thursday, May 30, 2013 - 12:00
Neuroengineering - Silvestro Micera - Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna (Pisa, Italy) and Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (Lausanne, Switzerland)