Biomimetic computer-to-brain communication enhancing naturalistic touch sensations via peripheral nerve stimulation

Biomimetic computer-to-brain communication enhancing naturalistic touch sensations via peripheral nerve stimulation

20 February 2024 | Giacomo Valle, Natalija Katic Secerovic, Dominic Eggemann, Oleg Gorski, Natalia Pavlova, Francesco M. Petrin, Paul Cvancara, Thomas Stieglitz, Pavel Musienko, Marko Bumbasirevic & Stanisa Raspopovic
This study presents a biomimetic neurostimulation framework that enhances naturalistic touch sensations via peripheral nerve stimulation, offering a promising solution for individuals with sensorimotor deficits. The framework is inspired by natural touch coding and aims to restore more intuitive and natural sensory experiences. Using a realistic in-silico model of mechanoreceptors, the researchers developed biomimetic stimulation policies that mimic natural touch coding. These policies were tested alongside mechanical touch and traditional neuromodulation methods in both animals and humans. The results showed that biomimetic neuromodulation consistently transmitted neural responses to the dorsal root ganglion and spinal cord of cats, with spatio-temporal dynamics resembling those naturally induced. When implemented in a bionic device, biomimetic neurostimulation improved mobility and reduced mental effort compared to traditional approaches. The study highlights the importance of natural neural activation patterns in restoring sensory feedback, as current neurotechnologies often result in unpleasant paresthesia. Biomimetic stimulation, which mimics the probabilistic and stochastic nature of natural touch, was shown to evoke more intuitive sensations and better support interactions with objects. The researchers tested the effectiveness of biomimetic neurostimulation in three transfemoral amputees, finding that it produced more natural sensations than traditional methods. The results suggest that biomimetic neurostimulation could be a fundamental feature for the next generation of neuroprostheses, capable of directly communicating physiologically plausible sensations to the brain. The study also demonstrated that biomimetic neurostimulation evokes more natural sensations than non-biomimetic approaches, leading to higher mobility and reduced mental workload in a double-task paradigm. The findings indicate that biomimetic encoding is relevant for device functionality and enhances the beneficial effects of sensory feedback on gait. The results suggest that biomimetic neurostimulation could significantly improve the quality of life for individuals with sensorimotor deficits by restoring more natural somatosensory information.This study presents a biomimetic neurostimulation framework that enhances naturalistic touch sensations via peripheral nerve stimulation, offering a promising solution for individuals with sensorimotor deficits. The framework is inspired by natural touch coding and aims to restore more intuitive and natural sensory experiences. Using a realistic in-silico model of mechanoreceptors, the researchers developed biomimetic stimulation policies that mimic natural touch coding. These policies were tested alongside mechanical touch and traditional neuromodulation methods in both animals and humans. The results showed that biomimetic neuromodulation consistently transmitted neural responses to the dorsal root ganglion and spinal cord of cats, with spatio-temporal dynamics resembling those naturally induced. When implemented in a bionic device, biomimetic neurostimulation improved mobility and reduced mental effort compared to traditional approaches. The study highlights the importance of natural neural activation patterns in restoring sensory feedback, as current neurotechnologies often result in unpleasant paresthesia. Biomimetic stimulation, which mimics the probabilistic and stochastic nature of natural touch, was shown to evoke more intuitive sensations and better support interactions with objects. The researchers tested the effectiveness of biomimetic neurostimulation in three transfemoral amputees, finding that it produced more natural sensations than traditional methods. The results suggest that biomimetic neurostimulation could be a fundamental feature for the next generation of neuroprostheses, capable of directly communicating physiologically plausible sensations to the brain. The study also demonstrated that biomimetic neurostimulation evokes more natural sensations than non-biomimetic approaches, leading to higher mobility and reduced mental workload in a double-task paradigm. The findings indicate that biomimetic encoding is relevant for device functionality and enhances the beneficial effects of sensory feedback on gait. The results suggest that biomimetic neurostimulation could significantly improve the quality of life for individuals with sensorimotor deficits by restoring more natural somatosensory information.
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Understanding Biomimetic computer-to-brain communication enhancing naturalistic touch sensations via peripheral nerve stimulation