NSF Engineering Research Center for Sensorimotor Neural Engineering

在过去的十年里，神经工程领域已经向世界证明，计算机光标、轮椅或简单的假肢都可以通过直接的脑机和脑机神经信号来控制。然而，允许这些成就的技术还不能实现与复杂环境的通用和高度复杂的交互。今天的智能系统和机器人既不能像生物系统那样感知也不能像生物系统那样移动，植入神经系统或与神经系统接口的设备不能以一种功能上有意义的方式稳健、安全地处理神经数据。要做到这一点，需要一个关键的缺失因素：一种基于对生物系统如何获取和处理信息的深刻理解的新颖的、神经启发的方法。这是本提案的重点。美国国家科学基金会感觉运动神经工程ERC （ERC/SNE或“中心”）将成为提供神经启发的感觉运动设备的全球中心。ERC/SNE将使用从可植入、可穿戴和交互式界面中挖掘丰富神经信号数据的设备，构建端到端集成系统。例如：通过电刺激肌肉或神经根来激活瘫痪肢体的植入式神经芯片；从使用者的触摸中提取神经信号以提供居家中风后治疗的固定式机器人；神经控制的自适应假肢提供复杂的感官反馈，以及控制外部探索设备的可穿戴帽。与强调适应神经残疾患者需求的传统方法不同，ERC/SNE将侧重于提供无缝和自适应人机交互的主动技术。它将通过三个核心工程重点来完成这一任务：(1)设备和数据管理的通信和接口设计，(2)神经系统和神经启发设备的反向和正向工程，以及(3)表达个人需求的感觉运动功能的控制和适应技术。ERC/SNE将培养未来的全球多学科领导者。它将开发以初中和高中项目为基础的课程，向工程专业中代表性不足的学生介绍神经工程原理。它将创建具有新学位结构的多机构、本科和研究生神经工程课程，并发展垂直研究指导链，以建立从教师到K-12的强大研究文化。它将通过所有学科和合作机构的教师和学生交流项目建立持久和深入的关系，目标是消除不同领域、不同国家和不同背景之间交流的障碍。神经工程领域创造了从较少以定量为基础的生物科学到更多以定量为基础的工程领域的新途径，也为残疾人在解决他们自己的经验和需求的工程领域工作提供了途径。目前占中心领导团队40%以上的女性和未被充分代表的少数族裔将成为学生和教职员工的榜样。此外，ERC/SNE将根据市场重要性和技术风险确定关键技术，从而扩大其影响。该中心的投资组合将在近期和长期内提供稳定的创新流。它的行业合作伙伴结构不仅包括帮助塑造中心知识产权的大小公司，还包括医院和投资公司，它们将研究活动与技术结合起来，真正帮助有需要的人，并引导未来神经工程市场的方向。ERC/NSE将努力为神经残疾人士和下一代全球和多样化的工程创新者提高人类体验。该中心经验丰富的多学科团队将改变医疗保健、制造业和教育基础设施，以确保神经工程的全球领导地位。

Over the last decade, the field of neural engineering has demonstrated to the world that a computer cursor, a wheelchair, or a simple prosthetic limb can be controlled using direct brain-machine and brain-computer neural signals. However, technologies that allow such accomplishments do not yet enable versatile and highly complex interactions with sophisticated environments. Today's intelligent systems and robots can neither sense nor move like biological systems, and devices implanted in or interfaced with neural systems cannot process neural data robustly, safely, and in a functionally meaningful way. Doing so requires a critical missing ingredient: a novel, neural-inspired approach based on a deep understanding of how biological systems acquire and process information. This is the focus of this proposal.The NSF ERC for Sensorimotor Neural Engineering (ERC/SNE or "Center") will become a global hub for delivering neural-inspired sensorimotor devices. Using devices that mine the rich data in neural signals available from implantable, wearable, and interactive interfaces, the ERC/SNE will build end-to-end integrated systems. Examples include: implantable neurochips that can activate paralyzed limbs by electrically stimulating muscles or nerve roots; stationary robots that extract neural signals from a user's touch to provide home-based, post-stroke therapy; neural-controlled adaptive prosthetic limbs that provide sophisticated sensory feedback, and wearable caps that control external exploration devices. Unlike traditional approaches that stress accommodation to the needs of people with neurological disabilities, the ERC/SNE will focus on proactive technologies that provide seamless and adaptive person-machine interaction. It will accomplish this mission with three core engineering thrusts: (1) communication and interface design for devices and data management, (2) reverse and forward engineering of neural systems and neural-inspired devices, and (3) control and adaptation technologies that express sensorimotor functions for individual needs.The ERC/SNE will nurture future global multidisciplinary leaders. It will develop middle and high school project-based curricula that introduce neural engineering principles to students underrepresented in engineering. It will create multi-institution, undergraduate and graduate Neural Engineering courses with new degree structures and develop vertical research mentoring chains to build a strong research culture from faculty to K-12. It will build long-lasting and deep relationships through faculty and student exchange programs across all disciplines and partnering institutions, with a goal of removing barriers in communication across different fields, countries, and diverse backgrounds. The neural engineering field creates new pathways from the less quantitatively-based biological sciences to the more quantitatively-based engineering fields as well as pathways for people with disabilities to work in an engineering field that addresses their own experience and needs. The women and underrepresented minorities who currently account for over 40% of the Center's leadership team will serve as role models for students and starting faculty. Further, the ERC/SNE will extend its impact by identifying key technologies according to market significance and technical risk. The Center's portfolio will be constructed to deliver a steady stream of innovations over the near and long term. Its industry partnership structure includes not only small and large firms that will help shape Center IPs, but also hospitals and investment firms that will ground research activities to technologies that will truly assist people in need and steer future neural engineering market directions.The ERC/NSE will strive to enhance the human experience both for persons with neurological disabilities and for the coming generation of global and diverse engineering innovators. The Center's seasoned, multi-disciplinary team will transform healthcare, manufacturing, and the educational infrastructure to guarantee neural engineering global leadership.