I really enjoyed hearing everyone give their chalk talks this week and learning just how diverse all of our projects are. From plant germination to genetic mutations, gene expression to viruses, each one of us is taking part in really interesting science.
One of the chalk talks that especially caught my attention was Ricardo’s talk about brain-machine interfaces (BMI). A brain-machine interface is a communication pathway between the brain and a system of devices composed of a decoder that interprets electrical signaling in the brain, a machine that translates signals into movement, and sensory feedback that relays signals back to the brain. This network of brain and machine communication allows for the development of brain controlled prosthetic limbs to be used by patients who suffer from paralysis such as quadriplegia. His project focuses on studying the relationship between lag times (the delay between neural firing and actual movement) and unimanual vs. bimanual actions in monkey models. This is done by comparing velocity models and neural firing models for each type of action. Studying lag times can help improve the efficiency of brain-machine interfaces by making movement feel more natural for humans.
What amazes me the most about his project are the possible applications brain-machine interfaces have for human health. The use of BMI in patients who suffer from limb paralysis would allow them to move again, essentially changing their lives. I really found learning about the engineering side of research to be interesting because of this direct application for humans.
I look forward to hearing about his findings as well as all my fellow BSURF researchers’ findings!
