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Robotically Embodied Biological Neural Networks to Investigate Haptic Restoration with Neuroprosthetic Hands.
Craig Ades1, Moaed A Abd1, E Du1
1Ocean and Mechanical Engineering Department, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL 33431 USA.
IEEE Haptics Symposium : [Proceedings]. IEEE Haptics Symposium
|October 12, 2023
Summary
This study introduces a novel neuroprosthetic platform enabling bidirectional communication between artificial hands and neuronal cultures. Findings reveal that sensory feedback encoding significantly impacts neural activity and artificial hand behavior, advancing understanding of neuroprosthetic plasticity.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Robotics
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Understanding the interaction between artificial limbs and biological systems is crucial for neuroprosthetics.
- Current neuroprosthetic technology requires further development to integrate robotic and biological components seamlessly.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a noninvasive neuroprosthetic research platform for studying the interaction between artificial limbs and neuronal cultures.
- To investigate how artificial tactile sensations influence neural activity and subsequent motor control.
Main Methods:
- Developed a novel platform for bidirectional electrical communication between an artificial hand and neuronal cultures in a microelectrode array (MEA) chamber.
- Encoded artificial tactile sensations to mimic slowly adapting (SA) or rapidly adapting (RA) mechanoreceptors.
- Used artificial neural networks (ANNs) to analyze the impact of haptic feedback on biological neural network (BNN) activity and artificial hand behavior.
Main Results:
- The haptic model used for encoding sensations (RA or SA) significantly affected BNN activity patterns.
- These changes in neural activity, in turn, impacted the artificial hand's behavior, specifically finger tapping.
- The closed-loop neurorobotic system demonstrated statistically significant differences (p<0.01) in behavior based on haptic encoding methods.
Conclusions:
- The developed noninvasive neuroprosthetic platform facilitates high-throughput experiments.
- It enables exploration of neural plasticity influenced by the interplay between perception and action in neuroprosthetic systems.
- This research provides insights into optimizing neuroprosthetic control and sensory feedback mechanisms.
