Descrizione del progetto
Decodificare il codice neurale del tatto
Il tatto ci consente di ricevere informazioni sull’ambiente esterno attraverso recettori specifici presenti sulla pelle, che trasmettono messaggi al cervello. La decodifica del codice neurale che regola la percezione tattile è in grado di far progredire i sistemi artificiali di percezione impiegati nei robot e nelle protesi. Il progetto NeuTouch, finanziato dall’UE, formerà giovani ricercatori in discipline che gli consentiranno di studiare e riprodurre i sistemi tattili e la percezione neuromorfica in mani robotiche. Fondamentale in questo sforzo risulta lo sviluppo di strumenti computazionali in grado di associare l’elaborazione neuronale al comportamento. Il progetto concentra l’attenzione anche sulle protesi, allo scopo di far avanzare quelle concepite per sostituire gli arti superiori mancanti con interfacce neurali migliorate capaci di fornire un feedback sensoriale all’individuo interessato.
Obiettivo
Dexterous manipulation is a fundamental skill to improve interaction capabilities of service and industrial robots, and develop prosthetic devices that enable amputees to regain hand functionality, for improving their independence and quality of life and for reintegration in working environments.
The sense of touch is crucial for any skilled manipulation; it is fundamental to establish contact and acquire the information needed for hand/object interactions, and for perceiving variations in the contact itself (slip, vibrations, duration, pressure). Touch is crucial for robots that physically interact with objects and humans, to sense the properties of objects, learn how to use them, and enable cooperation. Touch is crucial for the successful deployment of prosthetic devices, to evoke a natural sensation of contact that conveys information about the stimulus, making prostheses easier to use and accept.
NeuTouch aims at improving artificial tactile perception in robots and prostheses, by understanding how to best extract, integrate and exploit tactile information at system level.
To this aim, NeuTouch will train young researchers that will build up a novel multidisciplinary community, that will tackle fundamental questions about neural encoding of tactile information, by developing computational tools and models capable of explaining the activity in the biological neural pathway and link it to behavioral decisions. The identified underlying neuronal processing principles will guide the design of novel sensing devices and algorithms to improve tactile exploration and manipulation skills in robots and tactile feedback in prosthetic devices.
A scientifically strong international consortium is complemented by non-academic participants that recognize the impact of the proposed approach and resulting technology. All will support the professional growth of individuals, addressing entrepreneurship, communication, best practice, open science and gender equality.
Campo scientifico
- social scienceseconomics and businessbusiness and managemententrepreneurship
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesneurobiologycomputational neuroscience
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringrobotics
- medical and health sciencesmedical biotechnologyimplants
Parole chiave
Programma(i)
Argomento(i)
Meccanismo di finanziamento
MSCA-ITN - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Networks (ITN)Coordinatore
16163 Genova
Italia