Project description
Uncovering the ‘motor null space’ in human muscles
Muscle contractions allow us to move and interact while also receiving neural information from the central nervous system. This ‘motor null space’ offers an opportunity to study the brain non-invasively, overcoming the limitations of current imaging technologies. The ERC-funded ECHOES project aims to develop a framework to uncover the ‘motor null space’ in human muscles by using the latest advances in decoding spinal outputs. It will demonstrate the benefits of the extracted neural information across human-machine interfaces, targeted brain neuromodulation, and the diagnosis of movement disorders. The project seeks to create a minimally invasive neuroimaging technology with exceptional spatial and temporal resolution.
Objective
By contracting our muscles, we move and interact with the world. In turn, the activated muscles act as signal repeaters of the neural inputs they receive. Muscles do not only receive inputs determining how they need to contract (and thereby how we move), but they also receive a rich set of neural information originating in the central nervous system and traveling through nerves and muscles without directly altering motor commands. This 'motor null space' in the muscles may represent a unique opportunity to explore the human central nervous system in an unobtrusive, spatially selective, and robust way, thereby overcoming the most critical inherent limitations of currently available non-invasive neuroimaging technologies. To test this novel concept, fundamental research is needed to develop methods to extract, separate, and interpret the non-motor neural projections to human muscles. ECHOES will capitalize on recent breakthroughs in decoding the spinal outputs to muscles to develop a theoretical and experimental framework to unveil the 'motor null space' in human muscles. The project will then demonstrate the potential benefits of the extracted neural information in three scientific fields with growing societal and clinical impact: human-machine interfaces, targeted brain neuromodulation, and diagnosis of movement disorders.
I expect that the project's multidisciplinary research program will further our understanding of the origin and relevance of neural signals generated by the human brain and spinal cord. This will markedly improve future research aimed to understand, use, and modulate human neural activity by providing a first-of-its-kind, minimally invasive, and robust neuroimaging technology with unprecedented spatio-temporal resolution. By achieving these goals, ECHOES technology will enable the development of new applications for the clinical and industry fields.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2022-STG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
50009 ZARAGOZA
Spain
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.