Prosthetics and Human-Machine Interfaces
Engineers and computer scientists are working with neuroscientists and health care professionals around the world to develop advanced devices, including robotics and prosthetics, that interface closely with the brain and the body. These advanced tools may be used by people with physical disabilities, people who work in hazardous environments or people who need to extend their capabilities for difficult tasks.
Areas of interest include exoskeletons (which augment the abilities of existing limbs), prosthetics (which offer functionality by replacing lost appendages or replacing lost sensory modalities such as with hearing devices) and supernumerary robots (which may attach to the human body and may work in coordination with existing natural limbs). Research in this area is supported by 7 faculty members from 5 departments and 4 centers. Research in cognitive Neuroengineering is anchored by the Center for Neuroengineering and Medicine and by the Neurology and Neurological Surgery Departments.
Faculty studying human-machine interfaces
| Sanjay Joshi, Ph.D. | Robotics; human-machine interfaces (including brain-computer interfaces); prosthetics; artificial intelligence; machine learning; rehabilitation |
| Zhaodan Kong, Ph.D. | Robotics; human-autonomy teaming; control theory; machine learning neuroengineering |
| Lee M. Miller, Ph.D, | Auditory neuroscience and speech recognition |
| Karen Moxon, Ph.D. | Neural encoding and plasticity, neuroprosthetics, neuroengineering, brain-machine interfaces |
| Carolynn Patten, Ph.D., P.T., F.A.P.T.A. | Neural basis of human movement, investigating human motor control and learning from a perspective of neuromechanics |
| Jonathon Schofield, Ph.D. | Assistive robotics, rehabilitation engineering, neural-integrated prosthetic limbs, cognition and perception, clinical translation |
| Erkin Seker, Ph.D. | Multifunctional electrodes; nucleic acid sensors; microfluidic tissue models |
| Sergey Stavisky, Ph.D. | Brain-computer interfaces for restoring speech and reach and grasp |