Download here the List of the tentative allocation of the participants to the different workshop topics (.pdf)
Every attendee can participate in two workshops, according to the preferences selected and to the workshop availability. The content of each workshop will be divided in three days, so it is necessary to attend the three days to make the most of the workshop.
WS1 – Design and development of wearable robotic exoskeletons: a personalized design perspective for next-generation devices
Organizers:
Juan C. Moreno
Neural Rehabilitation Group, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
Antonio J. del Ama
Hospital Nacional de Parapléjicos de Toledo, Spain
WS2 – Agency and Embodiment: the neurobiological aspects of body representation
The representation of the body is complex, involving the encoding and integration of a wide range of multisensory (somatosensory, visual, auditory, vestibular, visceral) and motor signals: our brain is very adaptive, and can map artificial tools as an extension of the physical body, the so called “embodiment”. One example of sensory embodiment is the Rubber Hand Illusion (RHI) experiment. During the RHI experiment, the sight of brushing of a rubber hand at the same time as brushing of the person’s own hidden hand is sufficient to produce a feeling of ownership of the fake hand (Botvinick and Cohen, 1998). During the first day of the workshop participants will personally experience embodiment and bodily plasticity phenomena through the RHI, a perfect example of multisensory integration.
During the second day participants will experience the “sense of agency” or “sense of control”, that refers to the subjective awareness that one is initiating, executing, and controlling one’s own volitional actions. To this aim an experimental set-up to control through wearable sensors an avatar within a virtual reality environment will be described. Participants will experience the use of the system, that include magneto-inertial sensors to record user’s trunk and arms motion (Trigno, Delsys), a virtual reality apparatus, headset plus tracking camera (Vive, HTC), to provide an immersive experience in a virtual environment developed with the software Unity. Different control modalities mapping the motion between the user and the virtual avatar will be described and tested.
Organizers:
Iolanda Pisotta PhD
Nevio Luigi Tagliamonte PhD
NeuroRobot Lab, Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS, Roma
In collaboration with:
Giovanni Di Pino PhD
Domenico Formica PhD
Unit of Neurophysiology and Neuroengineering of Human-Technology Interaction (NEXT Lab)
Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Roma
WS3 – Advanced EMG Processing for Man-Machine Interfacing in Neurorehabilitation
In this workshop, we will introduce techniques for surface and intramuscular EMG recordings to estimate the neural signal sent to muscles from the output layer of the spinal cord circuitries. Specifically, we will present methods for single and multi-channel EMG decomposition and their applications in neurorehabilitation, such as in prosthetics and neurofeedback. Students will be engaged in recording and processing EMG signals using instruments and tools provided by the organizers.
Organizer:
Silvia Muceli
Imperial College, UK
WS4 – Brain-Computer Interfaces: principles and applications in neurorehabilitation
Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) can be realized with EEG, ECoG, or spike activity recorded from the brain. A BCI convert brain waves into signals which can be interpreted by computers either to make statements about the brain itself, or to control an attached output device. BCIs have been developed during the last years mainly for people with severe disabilities to improve their quality of life. The integration of BCIs into rehabilitation settings is a promising new approach that enhances the rehabilitation process.
Structure of the two days:
Day 1:
– Intro to BCIs (30 min), Jaime (Marc, Guenter)
– EEG signal processing for BCIs (30-45 min), Jaime (Marc, Guenter)
– Intro to rX (30 min), Marc (Jaime, Guenter)
Day 2:
– Hands on Exp 1, Marc (Jaime, Guenter)
– Intro to mB (15-30 min), Marc (Jaime, Guenter)
– Hands on Exp 2, Marc (Jaime, Guenter)
If you are interested in Matlab exercises, please, contact to Jaime Ibáñez (j.pereda@ucl.ac.uk).
Organizers:
Marc Sebastian
Guger Technologies OG
Jaime Ibáñez
Neural Rehabilitation Group, CSIC
WS5 – Brain and Spinal Cord Neuromodulation
Organizers:
José L. Pons
Cajal Institute, CSIC
Yuri Gerasimenko
Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Pavlov Institute of Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia
Program:
Monday, 17th (14.00 – 18:30)
- G. García Alias, “Anatomy of a spinal network” (30 min. + 5 min discussion)
- R. Edgerton, “What does feedforwardness of the spinal networks have to do with spinal neuromodulation and robotic control?” (30 min. + 5 min discussion)
- N. Mrachacz-Kersting, “Development of a protocol to operantly condition the human stretch reflex” (30 min. + 5 min discussion)
- Y. Gerasimenko, “Potential of non-invasive transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation in neurorehabilitation” + Demo of transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (15 min. + 60 min demo and discussion)
Tuesday, 18th (14.00 – 18:30)
- M. Pérez, “Neural bases of Neuromodulation” (30 min. + 5 min discussion)
- J. Ibáñez, “Movement preparation – neurophysiology, plasticity and behaviour” (30 min. + 5 min discussion)
- J.L. Pons, “Associative neruomodulation with neuroprosthetics and robotics” (30 min. + 5 min discussion)
- A. Martínez, “Associative neurostimulation of cortico-spinal pathways” + Demo (15 min. + 60 min demo and discussion)
- A. San Agustín, “Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation as a tool for Memory Enhancement Research” (10 min. + 5 min discussion)
WS6 – The science based medicine of the Rehabilitation Gaming System: bringing brain theory to the clinic using artificial intelligence and virtual reality
The main goal of stroke rehabilitation research is incorporating experimental evidence into clinical application. The Rehabilitation Gaming System (RGS) is a virtual reality application for stroke rehabilitation that has been intensively validated through clinical trials (da Silva Cameirão et al. 2010, da Silva Cameirão et al. 2011, Nirme et al. 2013, Ballester et al. 2015, Ballester et al. 2017, Maier et al. 2017) and that is now available as a science-based treatment in hospitals worldwide (www.eodyne.com). RGS is based on neuroscientific principles of motor recovery and motor learning, and promotes neuroplasticity by making use of the action execution and action observation paradigm. In this workshop we will present the clinical evidence behind the success of RGS and explore the scientific insights that guided the design of its rehabilitation protocols. The participants will learn about the neurological building blocks of RGS through hands on exercises and demos. In addition they will have the opportunity to model the recovery pattern of different patient profiles. In order to make the most of the workshop the participants should bring their laptops (Microsoft Windows or Mac OS). The demos and programmes will be provided by us.
Organizers:
Belén Rubio Ballester (Postdoctoral researcher)
Martina Maier (PhD student)
Anna Mura (Senior Researcher)
Paul Verschure (Group Leader)
Laboratory of Synthetic, Perceptive, Emotive and Cognitive Systems (SPECS)
Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC)
http://www.ibecbarcelona.eu/es/synthetic-perceptive-emotive-and-cognitive-systems-specs/
WS7 – Rodents electrophysiology to advance neurorehabilitation – surgery techniques and ethical considerations
Why are animal models used in the research field? Controversy around this topic has been increasing in the past years. On the other hand, it is not yet possible to replace animal models with alternative methods to answer some scientific questions. This Workshop aims at introducing the main advantages and limitations to consider in animal physiology research and its relationship with the Neurorehabilitation field. 3D printed models of the brain and the skull, as well some surgery instrumentation will be shown. The Workshop will also include a round table discussion around the ethical considerations on the use of animal models. Students are encouraged to engage in this discussion.
Organizers:
Filipe O. Barroso
Nuria Benito
Aitor Martínez
Neural Rehabilitation Group, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Madrid, Spain