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RESEARCH PROGRAM

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Scientific and education field classification
International Patent Classification
  • HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
      • ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY (measurement of bio-electric currents A61B; electrosurgical apparatus or circuits therefor A61B17/36; physical therapy arrangements in general A61H; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infra-red radiators for heating H05B)
      • PHYSICAL THERAPY APPARATUS, e.g. DEVICES FOR LOCATING OR STIMULATING REFLEX POINTS IN THE BODY; ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION; MASSAGE; BATHING DEVICES FOR SPECIAL THERAPEUTIC OR HYGIENIC PURPOSES OR SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE BODY (methods or devices enabling invalids to operate an apparatus or a device not forming part of the body A61F4/00; electrotherapy, magnetotherapy, radiation therapy, ultrasound therapy A61N) [C9604]
  • PHYSICS
    • EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
      • EDUCATIONAL OR DEMONSTRATION APPLIANCES; APPLIANCES FOR TEACHING, OR COMMUNICATING WITH, THE BLIND, DEAF OR MUTE; MODELS; PLANETARIA; GLOBES; MAPS; DIAGRAMS (devices for psychotechnics or for testing reaction times A61B5/16; games, sports, amusements A63; projectors, projector screens G03B)
Geographical classification
Keywords
MOTOR LEARNING; COMPUTATIONAL MODELS; VIRTUAL REALITY; HAPTIC INTERFACES; TRANSCRANIAL MAGNETIC STIMULATION; MUSCLE VIBRATIONS; ELECTRICAL MUSCLE ACTIVIY; NEUROREHABILITATION

Computational and neural mechanisms of sensorimotor learning and control

Università degli Studi di Genova
Abstract
Because the brain is fundamentally a learning system, understanding the systems architecture of how it learns motor control is a central theme in motor neurophysiology and neurorehabilitation.
A promising approach that has emerged in the last few years is based on the use of virtual environments (VE), as experimental tools for designing and monitoring the sensorimotor interactions that underlay the learning process. Two basic types of virtual environments have been defined, related to the fields of computer graphics and computer haptics. For example, by using immersive virtual reality systems it is possible to induce distortions of the visual feedback or a visuo-proprioceptive mismatch that need to be compensated by a learned internal model of the novel visuo-motor transformation. Another example is to program the mechanical impedance of a robotic haptic device in such a way to induce distortions of the movements that depend on their dynamics. Again, the ability to achieve the goal, after a suitable learning process, requires to establish an internal model of the dynamical environment to be integrated in the motor control process. However, it is a fact that the two types of virtual reality approaches (based, respectively, on Visual Virtual Environments - VVE – and Haptic Virtual Reality – VHE) have been developed to a large extent in an independent way. One reason is the complexity of the experimental setup and the other perhaps has to do with the >>>

Principal Investigator
Pietro Giovanni MORASSO Università degli Studi di GENOVA
Research Objectives
Virtual reality systems, based on advanced techniques of computer graphics and computer haptics, are more than a decade old. Biomedical applications were attempted immediately, considering these systems as new ways to carry out well established paradigms of biofeedback. However, we think that this view of quickly pouring the new technological "wine" in an old ideological "bottle" is narrow minded and it has at least two main drawbacks: 1) it does not exploit the epistemological potential of the technology and 2) it risks being ineffective as a clinical tool if used in a raw empirical way. Our goal is to take these technologies and aim them at the general goal of the multi-disciplinary and multi-technological investigation of the fundamental mechanisms of sensorimotor learning and control. The term "sensorimotor" is used on purpose because we should like to stress that the two elements of plasticity of human behaviour, plasticity in the visuomotor transformations and plasticity in neuromotor dynamical mechanisms, are so intimately fused in our brain that it makes little sense to isolate them into two separate chapters of our neurophysiological knowledge of skilled behaviour unless this is only an intermediate step towards a more global attack on sensorimotor plasticity.

In the limited time-span of the project we shall exploit the background knowledge and experimental capabilities of the partners by rapidly converging to have two operational platforms, one >>>

Timescale
24 months
National and international background
MOTOR LEARNING AND CONTROL
The increasing knowledge about the structure and organization of the nervous system has inspired in the years new theories of movement control, intended as conceptual tools for building a coherent framework in the analysis of empirical observations. We may consider, as an example, the following list:

Reflexologist theories, based on the notion of reflex arc, a name traditionally attributed to Descartes (1662): they are linked to the hypothesis of Sherrington (1906) that reflex arcs have an integrative function.

Hierarchical theories, linked to evolutionistic concepts and based on the observation by J.H. Jackson (1873) that the nervous system appears to be hierarchically organized. In the course of evolution, the nervous system is thought to pass from a simpler state, in which lower neural centers prevail, to a more complex state, in which higher centers become predominant and thus control patterns, formerly automatic, become voluntary.

Motor progamming theories, inspired by the discovery (Wilson 1961, Grillner 1981) that cyclical movements are controlled by central pattern generators (CPG), which only weakly depend upon central control. Later, the notion of CPG has evolved into the more general concept of motor program (Keele 1968).

Cybernetic theories (Bernstein 1967), inspired by the advent of automatic control theories: they emphasize the importance of the problem of >>>