CAREER: Educational Program in Neuromuscular Biomechanics and Uncovering the Neuromuscular Biomechanics of Dexterous Manipulation

职业：神经肌肉生物力学教育计划和揭示灵巧操作的神经肌肉生物力学

• 批准号: 0750233
• 负责人: Francisco Valero-Cuevas
• 金额: $ 7.15万
• 依托单位: University of Southern California
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2007
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2007-07-15 至 2009-03-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0750233&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: CAREER; Educational; Program; Neuromuscular; Biomechanics

0237258Valero-CuevasThis five-year CAREER Development project establishes the foundation for interdisciplinary education and research in neuromuscular biomechanics at Cornell University. The project develops two objectives: (a) uncover the neuromuscular biomechanics of dexterous manipulation; and (b) integrate engineering and neuroscience into an interdisciplinary educational network.Dexterity is defined in the engineering sense of being able to perform stable dynamic manipulation. Research objectives focus on using engineering science to rigorously characterize dexterous manipulation, and to distinguish between the relative contributions of passive and active biological elements of the hand to stabilize manipulation. To achieve these goals, an integrative and interdisciplinary approach will combine nonlinear dynamics, robotics, biomechanics, and neurophysiology in a unique manner. Three specific investigations are proposed: (1) Analyze human dexterous manipulation experimentally using bifurcation theory. (2) Characterize brain and muscle activity during dexterous manipulation using functional MRI and electromyography. And, (3) use a computer biomechanical model of a multi-digit hand to predict the limits of dexterity with and without neural activity, and test these limits using a robotic manipulator. Understanding the neuromuscular biomechanics of dexterous manipulation in humans will revolutionize understanding of biological motor function, aid in the diagnosis and treatment of hand impairment, and greatly expand the capabilities of robotic hands. The PI's previous work established a theoretical, computer modeling, and experimental foundation for the neuromuscular biomechanics of static force production of individual digits. This foundation will be expanded: (1) by using nonlinear dynamical analysis (to enable the use of reduced order models) to study the transitions from dynamical stability to instability in this complex system and (2) by integrating cerebral, muscular and biomechanical measurements in the context of a comprehensive computer model of multi-digit manipulation. The understanding gained from studying the human hand will be instrumental to improving dexterous manipulation in humans (clinical applications) and machines (robotic manipulators). The educational objective is to develop an interdisciplinary educational network that integrates engineering and neuroscience, which will have a broad impact on bioengineering education. The educational methodology will promote discovery in neuromuscular biomechanics among a diverse population spanning from high school students to practicing researchers and clinicians. Education and research will be integrated by: 1) Creating an undergraduate and graduate educational program in neuromuscular biomechanics to improve and broaden the engineering curriculum, 2) Actively promoting opportunities for high school and undergraduate students from underrepresented groups to become involved in neuromuscular biomechanics research and 3) advocating the importance of engineering concepts and methods to researchers and clinicians in neuroscience, motor control, hand therapy, and hand surgery.

0237258 Valero-Cuevas这个为期五年的职业发展项目为康奈尔大学神经肌肉生物力学的跨学科教育和研究奠定了基础。该项目有两个目标：（a）揭示灵巧操作的神经肌肉生物力学;（B）将工程学和神经科学整合到一个跨学科的教育网络中。研究目标集中在使用工程科学来严格表征灵巧的操作，并区分被动和主动的生物元素的手稳定操作的相对贡献。为了实现这些目标，一个综合的和跨学科的方法将结合联合收割机非线性动力学，机器人学，生物力学和神经生理学在一个独特的方式。具体研究内容包括：（1）利用分叉理论对人体灵巧操作进行实验分析。(2)使用功能性MRI和肌电图表征灵巧操作过程中的大脑和肌肉活动。以及，（3）使用多指手的计算机生物力学模型来预测有和没有神经活动的灵活性的极限，并使用机器人操纵器测试这些极限。了解人类灵巧操作的神经肌肉生物力学将彻底改变对生物运动功能的理解，有助于手部损伤的诊断和治疗，并大大扩展机器人手的能力。PI以前的工作建立了一个理论，计算机建模和实验基础的神经肌肉生物力学的静力生产的个别数字。这个基础将扩大：（1）通过使用非线性动力学分析（使使用降阶模型），以研究从动态稳定到不稳定的过渡，在这个复杂的系统和（2）通过整合大脑，肌肉和生物力学测量的背景下，一个全面的计算机模型的多指操纵。从研究人手中获得的理解将有助于改善人类（临床应用）和机器（机器人操纵器）的灵巧操作。教育目标是发展一个跨学科的教育网络，整合工程和神经科学，这将对生物工程教育产生广泛的影响。教育方法将促进从高中生到实践研究人员和临床医生的不同人群中神经肌肉生物力学的发现。教育和研究将通过以下方式结合起来：1）创建神经肌肉生物力学的本科和研究生教育计划，以改善和拓宽工程课程，2）积极促进来自代表性不足群体的高中和本科生参与神经肌肉生物力学研究的机会，3）倡导工程概念和方法对神经科学研究人员和临床医生的重要性，运动控制手部治疗和手部手术