International Forum on Neural Engineering & Brain Technologies 20.-21.06.2023. Berlin, Germany.
Integrating engineered devices into nervous system to develop devices that effectively interface and interact with the nervous system involve different technologies. The convergence between engineering and neurobiology brings about new discoveries in the brain as well as innovations for future brain-technologies-interfaces. NBT Berlin will provide an interdisciplinary platform for engineers, industry, and academic researchers to drive creative interactions in neuroprosthetics design and applications, and practical solutions in developing the next generation of neuroprosthetics. Topics also cover emerging neurotechnologies for the restoration and enhancement of impaired sensory, motor, and cognitive functions.
We invite original research work and recent findings, as well as innovative devices and systems to join this international gathering to discover a mix of action-based technical sessions, product demos and customer stories.
Last updated on 15.03.2023 | The listing of a proposal does not imply an approval of a presentation. The final programme will be released here closer to the event.
Prior research indicates that resting state theta power predicts response to hypnosis treatment, suggesting the possibility that neurofeedback to enhance theta power might enhance response to clinical hypnosis. To examine this possibility in a pilot study, 22 individuals with multiple sclerosis and pain or fatigue were randomly assigned to five sessions of hypnosis treatment alone or five sessions of hypnosis combined with 10 sessions of neurofeedback. The results indicated larger improvements in pain intensity, sleep disturbance, and depression in participants who received the combined treatment than who received HYP alone. No between-group differences in fatigue were found. The results are consistent with the possibility that NF could be used to enhance response to hypnosis interventions.
We demonstrate the use of epitaxial graphene on silicon carbide on silicon as dry EEG sensors for a wearable brain-machine interface (BMI) system which is reliable upon long-term usage. The produced sensors are wafer- thin, highly biocompatible, and show a lower contact impedance as compared to their bulkier commercial sensor counterparts and are are remarkably resilient to corrosion in saline environments. The BMI evaluation used a steady -state visual evoked potential paradigm (SSVEP), presenting the individual with up to 6 command options to control hands-free the movement of a robotic quadruped. We have demonstrated up to 94% accuracy in the lab using 6 graphene sensors mounted on a rudimental helmet in the presence of 5mm length hair.
Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) is widely used for neuromodulatory purposes. When applied in sleep medicine, the main hypothesis explaining its effects concerns the induction of neural plasticity and the modulation of the strength of synaptic connections between the brain areas involved in sleep disorders. Recently, a multi-database-based search converges on the evidence that NIBS is safe and effective in insomnia, restless legs syndrome, and sleep deprivation-related cognitive deficits; limited data are available for sleep bruxism and REM sleep behavior disorder, whereas no relevant effect was observed in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and narcolepsy. Some limitations, especially regarding the population studied and the stimulation protocols adopted, need to be considered, although the development of individually tailored neuromodulatory techniques is promising.
We will present a new binocular laser pupillometer, aimed to study the pupil light reflex with unprecedented precision. The laser pupillometer provides for the first time precise spatially-selective illumination of the eye and stimulation of the retina. It combines visible and infrared laser light, the former used for stimulus, and the latter for providing pointing information. The spatial selectivity provides order-of-magnitude increase in the neural information that can be extracted from measurements of the pupil diameter dynamics, and thus can lead to novel methodologies for addressing brain function and developing new medical diagnostic tools.
This presentation will discuss the use of Electroencephalography (EEG) technology in Brain Computer Interface (BCI) applications. The focus will be on the challenges of obtaining sufficient EEG data for training deep learning models and an advanced methodology for generating synthetic data using denoising diffusion probabilistic models. The proposed approach involves generating synthetic data from emotionally labeled EEG recordings and electrode-frequency distribution maps (EFDMs). The validity of the synthetic data generated was assessed through a qualitative and quantitative comparison with real EEG data. The proposed methodology has potential implications for creating large, publicly available synthetic EEG datasets, without privacy concerns.
Sense element engagement theory provides a foundation for improving neuroprosthetic and neuroenhancement technology. Despite technological advances, the poor quality and utility of visual experience produced by stimulating visual cortex have changed little in 65 years. The theory describes prosthetic visual experience as a projection of patterns created by specified neural interactions and suggests a novel means for producing continuous visual forms. A neuromorphic device which uses population recordings to modulate the amplitude of intermittent cortical stimulation and is predicted to yield continuous visual forms has been integrated with V1 neural network simulations. Network spike distributions produced by simulations with the device are very similar to those produced by network-only simulations, and the number of phosphenes is classified very accurately using these distributions.
MindRove is dedicated to developing cutting-edge biosensing tools for the human-computer interaction field. Our innovative solutions have been utilized in various industries, including exoskeleton development, brain research, mental training, and VR. MindRove has 3 types of EEG devices and 2 types of EMG-based armband like sensors. Our EEG devices are versatile and easy to use. We have developed unique dry-electrodes. And we are in the middle of another development that we will be patented. We won a grant from ESA (European Space Agency) BIC Hungary to develop a neurofeedback application for astronaut training. We have an another serious space related project that we can announce at the NBT event.
Available from April-May 2023!
