Modality matching and somatotopic matching approaches for restoring haptic perception in upper limb prosthesis users
On September 15, at 18.00 pm, Matteo Bianchi, Associate Professor of Robotics and Control Theory at the Università di Pisa, will present the Seminar "Modality matching and somatotopic matching approaches for restoring haptic perception in upper limb prosthesis users". The seminar is part of Phd in BioRobotics (Seminar Cycle on Prostheses and Artificial Organs), and it is organized by prof. Leonardo Ricotti. Streaming on Zoom platform and in presence in Aula 1 at the BioRobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna.
ABSTRACT
The restoration of the haptic perception in modern active prostheses represents an open research challenge, and several approaches focus on the development of non-invasive techniques that exploit sensory substitution through wearable haptic devices. In this seminar, prof. Bianchi discuss the characteristics that an ‘’ideal’’ sensory substitution loop should have, i.e. modality matching and somatotopic matching, along with possible strategies to implement them with non-invasive wearable tactile systems, which can deliver proprioceptive and exteroceptive information to the user of a soft, robotic, underactuated prosthetic hand. To this aim, the neuroscientific aspects that characterize human mechanoreceptors and the role of touch in motion perception will be also discussed.
BIOGRAPHY
Matteo Bianchi is currently an Associate Professor of Robotics and Control Theory at the Università di Pisa, and a Clinical Research Affiliate at Mayo Clinic (Rochester, US). His research interests include haptic interface and sensor design, with applications to advanced human-machine interaction (including prosthetics); human and robotic hands. He is the author of more than 100 peer-reviewed contributions, and he is the recipient of multiple awards, including the Best Paper Award at the 2016 Haptics Symposium. He actually serves as a co-Chair of the RAS Technical Committee on Robot Hands, Grasping and Manipulation.