Research Projects

Bilateral Cooperation in Computational Neuroscience between
Germany and USA (under review)

Consortium: Prof. Dr. Francisco Valero-Cuevas, University of Southern California (US), Prof. Dr. Christian Klaes, Ruhr University Bochum (GER), Prof. Dr. Karsten Seidl, University of Duisburg-Essen (GER), Prof. Dr. Ioannis Iossifidis, Ruhr West University of Applied Sciences (GER)

We proposes a novel brain computer interface (BCI) for humans paralyzed by spinal cord injury (SCI) that explicitly considers the neuromechanical link between brain, body and context. A BCI uses signals from electrodes implanted in the brain to control extracorporeal devices. A computational decoder is the critical interpreter between neuronal activity and the extracorporeal device. Great progress has been made in biocompatible electrodes and implantable hardware, but effective decoders are still the bottleneck of this technology. In contrast to the coevolution of brain, body and context, current decoders tend to be divorced from the body’s neurophysiological and biomechanical state but also from environmental constraints. Our synergistic team of experts will create a novel BCI based on “sensorimotor Gestalt” principles and context-sensitive AI assistance. The BCI pipeline will consist of a spike-train decoder and an arm exoskeleton as the extracorporeal device. In Aim 1 we will develop a high-fidelity neural decoder conditioned on the neuromechanical state of the brain and the exoskeleton. In Aim 2, the decoder will additionally use contextual priors that take environmental constraints into account, e.g., the type of tasks and objects. In Aim 3 we will deliver a context-aware edge computing implementation of the entire upper extremity BCI system. This novel approach in BCI for real-world environments will set the stage for truly useful edge computing exoskeletons for SCI patients.

Consortium: Prof. Dr. Ioannis Iossifidis (PI, consortium lead), Dr. Christian Klaes (PI), Ruhr University Bochum-Knappschaft University Hospital, Prof. Dr. Martin Tegenthoff (PI) Ruhr University- Bergmannsheil University Hospital, Dr. Corinna Weber, Snap GmbH (PI))

• Project duration: 01/2020 — 12/2022
• Funding volume: € 2.092.917,-

Restrictions in hand and arm function are a highly relevant consequence of neurological diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease, strokes or spinal cord injuries, and have an enormous impact on the quality of life and participation of affected patients. A differentiated diagnosis of hand and arm function is of great importance both for therapy control and for early detection. At present, however, very different and only conditionally objectifiable test instruments are used for specific indications, which result in an inaccuracy retest and make it difficult to compare results. In addition, relevant biosignals such as EEG and EMG are not used or not used in direct combination with the functional tests. 

In this project a standardized test environment in Virtual Reality (VR) will be developed. Motion trackers and VR gloves cover a broad spectrum of relevant motion parameters. In particular, synchronous electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings supplement the motion data with neuronal signals. This combination makes it possible for the first time to use modern Machine Learning (ML) algorithms, such as deep learning, in the context of diagnosis and therapy of neurological diseases with hand and arm dysfunctions. 

The easy-to-use functional test can be used in particular for complex extrapyramidal and/or cerebellar movement disorders in order to objectively classify the movement deficits and compare them with comparative data. Due to the increased sensitivity of the test and a generative model of arm movements, different stages of the disease can be better distinguished and the course of the disease more clearly documented. The early detection of diseases with a gradual course should also be improved. Therapeutically, the insights gained in tremor treatment – here by means of a hand exoskeleton to be developed in the project – will be used to establish VR-supported neurofeedback therapy approaches for extrapyramidal and cerebellar movement disorders and for fine calibration for deep brain stimulation for Parkinson’s treatment. 

Movement and correlated EEG data from both healthy volunteers and patients will be used to build a publicly accessible database. The database will be made available as a reference for the development and validation of models and methods for the scientific community and companies. The developed modular hardware and software components will be used clinically / scientifically (VR test environment) as well as economically (test instrument, decoder, hand exoskeleton).

Consortium: Prof. Dr. Ioannis Iossifidis (PI, consortium lead), Dr. Christian Klaes (PI), Ruhr University Bochum-Knappschaft University Hospital, Prof. Dr. Martin Tegenthoff (PI) Ruhr University- Bergmannsheil University Hospital, Dr. Corinna Weber, Snap GmbH (PI))

• Project duration: 10/2019 — 09/2022
• Funding volume: € 2,084,843

Project REXO is among the winners of the lead market health competition — Gesundheit.NRW. Quite excited to develop an adaptive soft exoskeleton as key component of a holistic rehabilitation system for arm dysfunctions.

https://www.leitmarktagentur.nrw/leitmarktwettbewerbe/gesundheit/aufruf2einreichfrist2

Impairment of arm and grip functions after various neurological diseases severely restrict the participation of the affected patients in professional and everyday life and represent a major challenge for the rehabilitation process. In order to intensify conventional therapy and thus improve rehabilitation success, high-quality, independent and everyday training is necessary. The key component is a biomechanically designed, adaptive exoskeleton for the upper extremities, which will be developed in this project and used exploratively on patients. The exoskeleton considers the individual conditions of the disease and compensates as far as necessary the dysfunction and supports the rehabilitation training by antagonistic activation. Due to intelligent sensoric and actuatoric linkage, the system always provides exactly as much support or correction as is necessary in the respective patient situation.

With the exoskeleton a holistic rehabilitation system is developed. The system includes the design and implementation of motion tasks in virtual reality, a feedback system based on biosignals and a generic decoder for invasive and non-invasive brain-computer interfaces. In the technical implementation, the soft exoskeleton combines modern, very light, resilient materials with an intelligent, adaptive control system that does not require any adjustments from the wearer. As a result, new perspectives are opening up for improved rehabilitation of arm and hand functions. This will significantly improve patient care. 

DFG: Emmy-Noether-Grand: Dr. Christian Klaes (PI, Coordinator), Prof. Dr. Kirsten Schmieder (PI), Prof. Dr. Ioannis Iossifidis (PI).
03/2016 — 02/2021

Tetraplegic patients are paralyzed from the neck down. Their severe condition is often the result of car accidents or falls. According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center approximately 160.000 persons in the USA are living with complete or partial tetraplegia as of 2014. In Germany about 1200‐ 1500 new cases of paralyzing spinal cord injuries are registered each year. 900 of those are the results of accidents. The average age at time of injury is 40 years and 70% of patients are male. Currently there is no way to cure the condition but constant technological advances have improved the autonomy of patients significantly. Although restricted in various ways a majority of tetraplegics rates the restoration of hand and arm functions as being of highest importance to them (Anderson, 2004). A range of assistive technologies, like motorized wheelchairs and extracorporeal robotic arms, are available to help paralyzed individuals regain control of their environment, but controlling these devices remains a challenge. One intriguing way to intuitively regain control of anthropomorphic robotic limbs is to use a brain‐computer interface (BCI).

This project is intended as a pilot study for human neuroprosthetic research in Germany. The aim is to establish a BCI research lab which will use state of the art technology and innovative concepts to advance the field of neuroprosthetics and neuroscience in general.

The project is split into two phases.

In the first phase we will develop the software infrastructure for BCI control which will be based on software that was used in the Caltech human subject study. The software will include a fully immersive VR environment including functional models of robotic limbs which have been used in several clinical studies. The software will also manage the application of electrical cortical stimulation when parts of the virtual robotic limbs are touched to create a virtual sense of touch. Stimulation artifact removal from the neuronal signal will be included as well to allow decoding of movement intentions while stimulation is applied. 

Furthermore the software will allow for adaptive assistance to integrate high‐level movement intentions (from PPC) and low‐level movement trajectories (from primary motor cortex) with computer intelligence to provide an optimal level of control for the patient. In this first phase we will collect data from consenting epilepsy patients who are implanted with ECoG grids for medical reasons. ECoG grids are implanted in these patients for a short time prior to epilepsy surgery to locate epileptogenic zones. Patients who have grids implanted over areas we are interested in, primary motor cortex, primary somatosensory cortex and PPC, could participate in the first phase. We will use the recorded LFP signals to control virtual robotic limbs and other devices. The patients will learn to control computer cursors on a screen and virtual robotic limbs within the VR environment. Within the VR environment we will optimize control paradigms in a variety of scenarios.

For further information see also