Peripheral neural control and feedback using 3D ultrasound

Human movement relies on the communication between the brain and the muscles via the nerves.

If this communication is limited or non-existent due to peripheral nerve trauma, performing daily tasks will be difficult or impossible.

To simplify or enable communication, efforts have been put into recording biological signals from the limb to communicate with a robotic arm or machine, i.e., a neural interface.A neural interface can rehabilitate people with spinal cord injuries, control upper limb prostheses, and assist people through exoskeletons.

Today’s neural interfaces are based on detecting spinal motoneuron activity with surface electromyography (EMG).

However, surface EMG only detects superficial muscle activity and is biased towards subjects with characteristics rarely coinciding with most patient categories.Therefore, we must shift the focus to other techniques that can provide a natural neural interface that overcomes such limitations.This proposal aims to develop a neural interface between spinal motoneurons and 3D ultrasound, providing a natural control to rehabilitate patients with limited limb control.

For this purpose, methods will be developed, and the technology will be demonstrated in terms of visual neuromuscular feedback and controlling a hand prosthesis.This novel and ambitious research project will be conducted at Imperial College London for three years, with Professor Dario Farina providing the optimal competence for the project.