Bioelectronics and Neuronegineering seminar series

The next seminar in Bioelectronics and Neuronegineering will take place on Tuesday 24 January at 11 a.m. in the room 3 of the Polo Sant'Anna Valdera. The speakers are Prof. Viviana Betti (La Sapienza University, Rome) and Prof. Giuseppe Vannozzi (University of Rome 'Foro Italico'). Click here to join via Microsoft Teams.

Abstract

How natural hand usage shapes behavior and intrinsic and task evoked brain activity
Prof Viviana Betti
Recent studies suggest that spontaneous activity, i e ongoing activity in the absence of an active task ( not only replays at rest task activation patterns but also maintains a model of the statistical regularities ( of the body and environment These internal models may be used to predict upcoming behavior Based on this idea, we aim to test the resilience of these internal models to extreme manipulations of the body To do so, we replace the hand with everyday tools.
Through a combination of behavioral approaches, methods, and techniques ranging from functional neuroimaging to virtual reality, our aim is to provide insights into how the synergic activity of the body and environment shapes behavior and neural activity This approach might open novel opportunities for future robotic assisted technology and neuroprosthesis developments.

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Gait quality assessment through wearable technology are we able to support mobility assessment neurorehabilitation?
Prof Giuseppe Vannozzi
Gait quality refers to a number of domains, such as variability, smoothness, stability, and symmetry, determining how the individual freely moves in the environments In this talk, I will briefly overview the state of the art about the use of magneto inertial sensors to quantify gait quality indicators in the neurorehabilitation field Sensor limitations ( sensors to body movements) will be taken into account highlighting the need to follow good practice rules for a better exploitation of their potential Furthermore, wearable solutions such as fNIRS and mobile EEG can interestingly be added to quantify motor cognitive interference during locomotion tasks This quantitative approach can be fruitfully integrated with the current clinical evaluation tests, joining objectivity with field applicability.