In silico case studies of compliant robots: AMARSI deliverable 3.3

In the deliverable 3.2 we presented how the morphological computing ap- proach can significantly facilitate the control strategy in several scenarios, e.g. quadruped locomotion, bipedal locomotion and reaching. In particular, the Kitty experimental platform is an example of the use of morphological computation to allow quadruped locomotion. In this deliverable we continue with the simulation studies on the application of the different morphological computation strategies to control a robotic system

Neuroplastic Changes Following Brain Ischemia and their Contribution to Stroke Recovery: Novel Approaches in Neurorehabilitation

Ischemic damage to the brain triggers substantial reorganization of spared areas and pathways, which is associated with limited, spontaneous restoration of function. A better understanding of this plastic remodeling is crucial to develop more effective strategies for stroke rehabilitation. In this review article, we discuss advances in the comprehension of post-stroke network reorganization in patients and animal models. We first focus on rodent studies that have shed light on the mechanisms underlying neuronal remodeling in the perilesional area and contralesional hemisphere after motor cortex infarcts. Analysis of electrophysiological data has demonstrated brain-wide alterations in functional connectivity in both hemispheres, well beyond the infarcted area. We then illustrate the potential use of non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques to boost recovery. We finally discuss rehabilitative protocols based on robotic devices as a tool to promote endogenous plasticity and functional restoration

Cerebellum: an explanation for dystonia?

Dystonia is a movement disorder that is characterized by involuntary muscle contractions, abnormal movements and postures, as well as by non-motor symptoms, and is due to abnormalities in different brain areas. In this article, we focus on the growing number of experimental studies aimed at explaining the pathophysiological role of the cerebellum in dystonia. Lastly, we highlight gaps in current knowledge and issues that future research studies should focus on as well as some of the potential applications of this research avenue. Clarifying the pathophysiological role of cerebellum in dystonia is an important concern given the increasing availability of invasive and non-invasive stimulation techniques and their potential therapeutic role in this condition

Muscle synergies in neuroscience and robotics: from input-space to task-space perspectives

In this paper we review the works related to muscle synergies that have been carried-out in neuroscience and control engineering. In particular, we refer to the hypothesis that the central nervous system (CNS) generates desired muscle contractions by combining a small number of predefined modules, called muscle synergies. We provide an overview of the methods that have been employed to test the validity of this scheme, and we show how the concept of muscle synergy has been generalized for the control of artificial agents. The comparison between these two lines of research, in particular their different goals and approaches, is instrumental to explain the computational implications of the hypothesized modular organization. Moreover, it clarifies the importance of assessing the functional role of muscle synergies: although these basic modules are defined at the level of muscle activations (input-space), they should result in the effective accomplishment of the desired task. This requirement is not always explicitly considered in experimental neuroscience, as muscle synergies are often estimated solely by analyzing recorded muscle activities. We suggest that synergy extraction methods should explicitly take into account task execution variables, thus moving from a perspective purely based on input-space to one grounded on task-space as well

INCF Lithuanian Workshop on Neuroscience and Information Technology

The aim of this workshop was to give a current overview of neuroscience and informatics research in Lithuania, and to discuss the strategies for forming the Lithuanian Neuroinformatics Node and becoming a member of INCF. The workshop was organized by Dr. Aušra Saudargiene (Department of Informatics, Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, and Faculty of Natural Sciences, Vilnius University, Lithuania) and INCF.
The workshop was attended by 15 invited speakers, among them 4 guests and 11 Lithuanian neuroscientists, and over 20 participants. The workshop was organized into three main sessions: overview of the INCF activities including the Swedish and UK nodes of INCF; presentations on Neuroscience research carried out in Lithuania; discussion about the strategies for forming an INCF national node, and the benefits of having such a node in Lithuania (Appendix A: Program; Appendix B: Abstracts)

Quantifying Performance of Bipedal Standing with Multi-channel EMG

Spinal cord stimulation has enabled humans with motor complete spinal cord injury (SCI) to independently stand and recover some lost autonomic function. Quantifying the quality of bipedal standing under spinal stimulation is important for spinal rehabilitation therapies and for new strategies that seek to combine spinal stimulation and rehabilitative robots (such as exoskeletons) in real time feedback. To study the potential for automated electromyography (EMG) analysis in SCI, we evaluated the standing quality of paralyzed patients undergoing electrical spinal cord stimulation using both video and multi-channel surface EMG recordings during spinal stimulation therapy sessions. The quality of standing under different stimulation settings was quantified manually by experienced clinicians. By correlating features of the recorded EMG activity with the expert evaluations, we show that multi-channel EMG recording can provide accurate, fast, and robust estimation for the quality of bipedal standing in spinally stimulated SCI patients. Moreover, our analysis shows that the total number of EMG channels needed to effectively predict standing quality can be reduced while maintaining high estimation accuracy, which provides more flexibility for rehabilitation robotic systems to incorporate EMG recordings

Uniqueness of human running coordination: The integration of modern and ancient evolutionary innovations

Running is a pervasive activity across human cultures and a cornerstone of contemporary health, fitness and sporting activities. Yet for the overwhelming predominance of human existence running was an essential prerequisite for survival. A means to hunt, and a means to escape when hunted. In a very real sense humans have evolved to run. Yet curiously, perhaps due to running’s cultural ubiquity and the natural ease with which we learn to run, we rarely consider the uniqueness of human bipedal running within the animal kingdom. Our unique upright, single stance, bouncing running gait imposes a unique set of coordinative difficulties. Challenges demanding we precariously balance our fragile brains in the very position where they are most vulnerable to falling injury while simultaneously retaining stability, steering direction of travel, and powering the upcoming stride: all within the abbreviated time-frames afforded by short, violent ground contacts separated by long flight times. These running coordination challenges are solved through the tightly-integrated blending of primitive evolutionary legacies, conserved from reptilian and vertebrate lineages, and comparatively modern, more exclusively human, innovations. The integrated unification of these top-down and bottom-up control processes bestows humans with an agile control system, enabling us to readily modulate speeds, change direction, negotiate varied terrains and to instantaneously adapt to changing surface conditions. The seamless integration of these evolutionary processes is facilitated by pervasive, neural and biological, activity-dependent adaptive plasticity. Over time, and with progressive exposure, this adaptive plasticity shapes neural and biological structures to best cope with regularly imposed movement challenges. This pervasive plasticity enables the gradual construction of a robust system of distributed coordinated control, comprised of processes that are so deeply collectively entwined that describing their functionality in isolation obscures their true irrevocably entangled nature. Although other species rely on a similar set of coordinated processes to run, the bouncing bipedal nature of human running presents a specific set of coordination challenges, solved using a customized blend of evolved solutions. A deeper appreciation of the foundations of the running coordination phenomenon promotes conceptual clarity, potentially informing future advances in running training and running-injury rehabilitation interventions