Dr. Alan Rudolph
Brain Machine Interfaces
Wed Jun 25 18:36:47 2003
208.152.73.169

Brain Machine Interfaces

Program Manager: Dr. Alan Rudolph

The Brain Machine Interfaces Program represents a major DSO thrust
area that will comprise a multidisciplinary, multipronged approach
with far reaching impact. The program will create new technologies
for augmenting human performance through the ability to noninvasively
access codes in the brain in real time and integrate them into
peripheral device or system operations. Focus will be on the
following areas:

1. Extraction of neural and force dynamic codes related to patterns
of motor or sensory activity required for executing simple to complex
motor or sensory activity (e.g., reaching, grasping, manipulating,
running, walking, kicking, digging, hearing, seeing, tactile).
Accessing sensory activity directly could result in the ability to
monitor or transmit communications by the brain (visual, auditory, or
other). This will require the exploitation of new interfaces and
algorithms for providing useful nonlinear transformation, pattern
extraction techniques, and the ability to test these in appropriate
models or systems.

2. Determination of necessary force and sensory feedback (positional,
postural, visual, acoustic, or other) from a peripheral device or
interface that will provide critical inputs required for closed loop
control of a working device (robotic appendage or other peripheral
control device or system). Such feedback could be received from
peripheral systems or sent directly into appropriate brain regions.

3. New methods, processes, and instrumentation for accessing neural
codes noninvasively at appropriate spatiotemporal resolution to
provide closed loop control of a peripheral device. This could
include both fundamental interactions of neural cells, tissue, and
brain with energy profiles that could provide noninvasive access to
codes (magnetics, light, or other).

4. New materials and device design and fabrication methods that
embody compliance and elastic principles, and that capture force
dynamics that integrate with neural control commands. These include
the use of dynamic materials and designs into working prototypes.

5. Demonstrations of plasticity from the neural system and from an
integrated working device or system that result in real time control
under relevant conditions of force perturbation and cluttered sensory
environments from which tasks must be performed (e.g., recognizing
and picking up a target and manipulating it).

6. Biomimetic implementation of controllers (with robotics or other
devices and systems) that integrate neural sensory or motor control
integrated with force dynamic and sensory feedback from a working
device or system. The first phase of the program may include dynamic
control of simple and complex motor or sensory activity directly
using neural codes integrated into a machine, device, or system.
Simple actions considered include using a robotic arm or leg to sense
a target, reach for it and manipulate it, throw or kick an object at
a target, or recognize a sensory input and responding to it (visual,
acoustic) directly through input/output brain integration. More
complex activity may include issues related to force or sensory
perturbation in more complex environments.


Solicitation Information:
Defense Sciences Research and Technology
Special Focus Area: Brain Machine Interfaces
Announcement #: BAA01-42, Addendum 1
CBD Reference: September 17, 2001

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