CMU Neural Engineering Seminar
Title: Bidirectional brain-computer interfaces to restore upper limb function
Speaker: Dr. Robert Gaunt, Associate Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh
Abstract: Over the last decade we have developed intracortical brain-computer interfaces that enable people with spinal cord injuries to achieve complex control of robotic limbs and have augmented these motor control capabilities with artificial tactile sensations that create a sense of touch in a persons own paralyzed hand. In this talk, I will describe how signals can be extracted from the cortex to control complex prosthetic movements and will describe the nature of stimulation-evoked tactile percepts, including their stability over time and their impact on task performance. I will also discuss how new stimulation strategies enhance the complexity and naturalness of perceived sensations, can replicate properties of real-world objects, and can create sensations of edges and motion. Finally, I will discuss outstanding challenges facing the future of intracortical brain-computer interfaces and what advances will be required to meaningfully improve upper limb function in people living with spinal cord injury.
About the Speaker: Robert Gaunt is an Associate Professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Pittsburgh. He earned his BEng in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Victoria and a PhD in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Alberta. Dr. Gaunt’s research focuses on developing neuroprostheses to restore sensorimotor function to the hand and bladder after injury and disease. This work encompasses studying sensorimotor control in the central and peripheral nervous systems and investigating how biomimetic design principles can be used to develop neuroprosthetic technologies aimed at restoring sensory, motor, and autonomic functions for people with disease or injuries including spinal cord injury and limb loss. The hand and bladder are scientifically linked by the powerful role that somatosensation has on both reflex function and consciously mediated behaviors, while the functional importance of these two systems is frequently highlighted by people living with spinal cord injury. His current projects include the development of bidirectional brain-computer interfaces to restore movement and sensation in people with upper-limb paralysis, as well as innovative neural interfaces for regulating bladder function. Dr. Gaunt holds several patents and has received recognition from the National Academy of Engineering. His work has been featured in numerous national and international media outlets.