Joint BME/VISE Guest Seminar: Advancing Brain-Machine Interfaces Towards Clinical Viability. Thursday January 21st, 12:10pm, Noon lunch. SC 5326.
Title: Advancing Brain-Machine Interfaces Towards Clinical Viability
Speaker: Dr. Chethan Pandarinath, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow, Neural Prosthetics Laboratory, Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Neurosurgery, Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University
Date: Thursday, January 21st
Time: 12:10pm start, noon lunch
Place: Stevenson Center 5326
Abstract: Brain-machine interfaces (BMIs) aim to restore function for people with disabilities by directly interfacing with the nervous system. A key challenge in advancing these systems is developing frameworks to accurately estimate and perturb the state of the brain in real-time. I will demonstrate the development and application of such frameworks to two emerging classes of BMIs: retinal prostheses to restore vision, and intracortical motor prostheses for people with paralysis. In the case of retinal prostheses, I will discuss a novel high-fidelity approach that combines optogenetic interfaces with detailed modeling of the retina’s output, which we demonstrated in a rodent model of blindness. In the case of motor prostheses, I will discuss our recent results, as part of the BrainGate2 pilot clinical trial, in demonstrating a high-performance communication interface. This approach, tested with two research participants with motor impairment, achieved the highest communication rates to date using a BMI. The insights gained from these studies motivate interdisciplinary approaches towards the control of complex end effectors (e.g., dextrous robotic arms), which benefit from innovations in systems engineering and systems neuroscience.
Short Bio: Chethan Pandarinath received his PhD in Electrical Engineering from Cornell University, and is currently a postdoctoral fellow at Stanford University in Neurosurgery and Electrical Engineering. His research centers on understanding how the brain represents information and intention, to develop high-performance, robust, and practical assistive devices for people with disabilities and neurological disorders.