Objetivo
The objective is to design and construct an articulated artificial finger with a biomimetic sensor based on an array of NEMS force transducers that will mimic the spatial resolution, sensitivity and dynamics of human tactile neural sensors. This will require the development of the scientific understanding of these mechanoreceptors and the neural coding of the many thousands of action potentials that are discharged during a tactile experience. Experts will be brought together working at the frontiers of knowledge in nanotechnology, psychology, neurology, cognitive science, skin mechanics, robotics, tissue engineering, numerical simulation and information processing. Tactile stimuli will be assessed using physchophysical, neurophysiological and brain imaging techniques.
A virtual model of the tactile process will be developed to enable the neurophysiological response of a virtual stimulus to be computed. The information from the psychophysical, neurophysiological, neuroimaging and computer simulation activities will be processed using artificial recurrent neural networks. This will lead to an improved description of the neural coding for taction, such as texture recognition, and lead to design strategies for the MEMS arrays based on advanced optimisation techniques. Biomimetic tactile sensors have many applications, for example, prosthetic limbs with neural interfaced sensing and control, robotics with controlled grip and for haptic exploration, tele-activities (eg remote surgery) and virtual reality training environments.
Moreover, an improved understanding of the human tactile system will assist in the treatment of patients with impaired neurological function. The design of new products will be revolutionised, by being able to more effectively exploit rapid virtual prototyping and high throughput screening techniques.
Ámbito científico
- social sciencessociologysocial issuessocial inequalities
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringsensors
- natural sciencescomputer and information sciencessoftwaresoftware applicationsvirtual reality
- natural sciencescomputer and information sciencesdata sciencedata processing
- natural sciencesmathematicsapplied mathematicsmathematical model
Convocatoria de propuestas
FP6-2004-NMP-TI-4
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