Neural Control of Movement Satellite Meeting

Join us April 15th for the NCM Satellite Meeting “Artificial sensorimotor control from restoration to augmentation”. The Satellite meeting will be held at the Valamar Lacroma Dubrovnik Hotel in advance of the annual Society for the Neural Control of Movement Meeting.

Artificial sensorimotor control from restoration to augmentation

The satellite is organized by:

Tamar Makin, Cambridge University
Hayriye Cagnan, Imperial College
Sergey D. Stavisky, University of California, Davis
Silvestro Micera, EPFL

The focal point of this meeting is the confluence of cutting-edge neurotechnologies designed to improve motor control, encompassing Deep Brain Stimulation, Brain-Computer Interfaces, Peripheral Nervous Stimulation, as well as non-invasive counterparts such as prosthetics and exoskeletons. We will explore the spectrum from the restoration of impaired motor functions to the augmentation of existing capabilities and consider the myriad of motor control mechanisms harnessed by neurotechnologies, as well as their potential implications and applications. We will provide an overview of the current state of artificial sensorimotor control and also provide insight into how these technologies can evolve to address future challenges when technological advancement and user-driven brain plasticity meet. The proposed satellite meeting thus represents a unique opportunity to navigate and chart the future of this rapidly evolving landscape in neural control of movement.

Lead sponsor

In Memoriam

This year’s NCM’s satellite meeting will be dedicated to honouring the extraordinary impact of Sliman Bensmaia, a titan in the realm of artificial sensorimotor control. In the intricate symphony of neuroscience, Sliman Bensmaia was both a maestro and a rockstar. Sliman’s pioneering work, from mapping the brain’s tactile blueprint to creating a prosthetic arm that fist-bumped a President, was underscored by his indomitable spirit and unyielding curiosity. With the roaring spirit of a Harley rider and the uncompromising meticulousness of an artist tuning a grand piano to the perfect pitch, it’s not just the man of science we remember but the unforgettable man behind the science – the jazz enthusiast, the candid orator, the larger-than-life personality and the life of every party, who could out-drink the lot of us, leaving laughter and legendary tales in his wake at every NCM.

Tentative Satellite Meeting Program

*Please note, program will be updated as confirmed

April 15

08:00 – 08:30

Registration

08:30 – 08:45

Opening remarks

08:45 – 9:30

Scientific Keynote - Joseph O'Doherty, Neuralink

Next generation neural interfaces at Neuralink

Joseph O’Doherty leads the Next Gen team at Neuralink. His interests include bidirectional neural interfaces with the nervous system for the restoration of movement and sensation.

09:30 – 11:00

Session 1: Restoration

Potentiation of cortico-spinal output via targeted electrical stimulation of the motor thalamus

Elvira Pirondini, University of Pittsburgh

Restoring touch through a brain interface: Local geometric features encoded via patterned microstimulation of human somatosensory cortex

Giacomo Valle, University of Chicago

Therapies orchestrated by patients’ own rhythms

Hayriye Cagnon, Imperial College London

11:00 – 11:30

Coffee break

11:30 – 13:00

Session 2: Augmentation

Assistive, augmentative, and adaptive: Considerations for designing the future body

Dani Clode, Cambridge University

Augmenting mobility and motor performance: Soft wearable exosuits in wellness, rehabilitation and the workplace

Lorenzo Masia, Heidelberg

A wrist-based surface EMG neuromotor interface for human computer interaction that works across a population

Abby Russo, Meta Reality Labs

13:00 – 14:00

Posters & Lunch

14:00 – 15:30

Session 3: Future Horizons

Biomagnetic sensing: A high-performance approach to building non-invasive neural interfaces

Nishita Deka, Sonera

Next-generation neurotechnology for decoding and regulation of brain states – presented virtually

Maryam Shanechi, University of Southern California

Towards a clinically viable speech neuroprosthesis

Francis Willett, Stanford University

15:30 – 16:30

Posters & Coffee break

16:30 – 17:10

Non-technical keynote - John Krakauer, Johns Hopkins University

The training-technology nexus for neurorestoration and neuroprosthetics

The nervous system is experience dependent – it responds to training. Data from animal models to humans shows that behavioral improvement in the setting of a neurological condition is a function of the dose and intensity of training. Neurotechnology can either augment the efficacy of training for neurorestorative effects or training can improve the ability of a patient to use a neuroprosthetic. These interactions between behavior and technology will be explored.

17:10 – 17:30

Tribute to Sliman

17:30 – 18:15

Motor augmentation and art: Stelarc

Stelarc’s projects explore alternative anatomical architectures. He has performed and exhibited in Japan, Korea, China, Europe, the USA, South America and Australia. He is acknowledged internationally as a pioneer in Performance, Media Arts and by the Augmented Humans research community. He has used interactive media, prosthetics, robotics, virtual systems and the internet to actualise his ideas.

18:15 – 18:30

Poster Awards

The poster award decisions will be announced and recipients awarded a certificate.