<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 12 (filtered medium)">
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Consolas;
panose-1:2 11 6 9 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
h4
{mso-style-priority:9;
mso-style-link:"Heading 4 Char";
margin-top:12.0pt;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:3.0pt;
margin-left:0in;
text-align:justify;
page-break-after:avoid;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
p.MsoListParagraph, li.MsoListParagraph, div.MsoListParagraph
{mso-style-priority:34;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:justify;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:windowtext;}
span.Heading4Char
{mso-style-name:"Heading 4 Char";
mso-style-priority:9;
mso-style-link:"Heading 4";
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
font-weight:bold;}
span.header-from1
{mso-style-name:header-from1;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
font-weight:normal;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
{mso-list-id:188569519;
mso-list-type:hybrid;
mso-list-template-ids:960536306 67698689 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715;}
@list l0:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level2
{mso-level-tab-stop:1.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level3
{mso-level-tab-stop:1.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level4
{mso-level-tab-stop:2.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level5
{mso-level-tab-stop:2.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level6
{mso-level-tab-stop:3.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level7
{mso-level-tab-stop:3.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level8
{mso-level-tab-stop:4.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level9
{mso-level-tab-stop:4.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
ol
{margin-bottom:0in;}
ul
{margin-bottom:0in;}
-->
</style>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>
<body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple>
<div class=Section1>
<p class=MsoNormal>The Robotics, Brain and Cognitive Sciences (RBCS) Department
of the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) is offering fellowships for the
in-vivo studies of BRAIN MACHINE INTERFACE. These fellowships are part of a
multidisciplinary project aiming at 'reading' the brain to understand and
extract motor signals which may be used to control an artificial limb. The
project will be developed jointly at RBCS department of IIT by a group of
scientists coordinated by Luciano Fadiga and including: Stefano Panzeri, Alessandro
Vato, Gytis Baranauskas, Davide Ricci and Franco Bertora. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>The BMI project addresses topics such as the design of
microelectrode and microelectronics devices for chronic in-vivo recording, electrophysiological
and brain signals recording, investigation of the coding/decoding issue,
functional identification of brain motor/premotor areas, and direct connection
to artificial actuators.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>More specifically the seven research themes proposed are (short
abstract and scientist in charge are included at the end of the message):<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoListParagraph align=left style='text-align:left;text-indent:-.25in;
mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span lang=EN-GB
style='font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span
style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></span></span><![endif]><span lang=EN-GB>Theme 5.8: The Neural Interface
Problem: Enhanced in-vivo electrodes by nanomaterial coatings <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoListParagraph align=left style='text-align:left;text-indent:-.25in;
mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span lang=EN-GB
style='font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span
style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></span></span><![endif]><span lang=EN-GB>Theme 5.9: The Signal Treatment
Problem <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoListParagraph align=left style='text-align:left;text-indent:-.25in;
mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span lang=EN-GB
style='font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span
style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></span></span><![endif]><span lang=EN-GB>Theme 5.10: The Brain Signal Decoding
Problem<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoListParagraph align=left style='text-align:left;text-indent:-.25in;
mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span lang=EN-GB
style='font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span
style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></span></span><![endif]><span lang=EN-GB>Theme 5.11: The Movements vs.
Actions Problem<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoListParagraph align=left style='text-align:left;text-indent:-.25in;
mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span lang=EN-GB
style='font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span
style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></span></span><![endif]><span lang=EN-GB>Theme 5.12: The Neurophysiology
of the Human Brain <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoListParagraph align=left style='text-align:left;text-indent:-.25in;
mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span lang=EN-GB
style='font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span
style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></span></span><![endif]><span lang=EN-GB>Theme 5.13: The Role of Sensory
Feedback in Brain Machine Interface<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoListParagraph align=left style='text-align:left;text-indent:-.25in;
mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span lang=EN-GB
style='font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span
style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></span></span><![endif]><span lang=EN-GB>Theme 5.14: Machinery for
Functional Brain Analysis <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Interested applicants should refer to one of the following
website to download instructions on how to apply and/or contact directly the
scientists in charge (below) for more information regarding the individual
research plans.<span lang=EN-GB><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><a
href="http://www.liralab.it/IIT_school/CICLOXXIII/Concorso.htm">http://www.liralab.it/IIT_school/CICLOXXIII/Concorso.htm</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://www.iit.it/phd_positions">http://www.iit.it/phd_positions</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Consolas'>---<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Consolas'>Prof.
Giulio Sandini<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Consolas'>Italian
Institute of Technology<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Consolas'>Robotics,
Brain and Cognitive Sciences Department<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Consolas'>Phone:
+39 010 7178101 - Fax +39 010 720321 <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Consolas'>and <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Consolas'>LIRA-Lab,
University of Genova<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Consolas'>Phone:
+39 0103532779 - Fax: +39 010353.2948 <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Consolas'><a
href="http://www.liralab.it">http://www.liralab.it</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Consolas'><a
href="http://sandini.liralab.it">http://sandini.liralab.it</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>--------------------------------------------<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>RESEARCH TOPICS PROPOSED<o:p></o:p></p>
<h4><a name="_Toc172461803"></a><a name="_Toc172340339"></a><span lang=EN-GB>Theme
5.8 – The Neural Interface Problem: Enhanced in-vivo electrodes by
nanomaterial coatings</span><span lang=EN-GB><o:p></o:p></span></h4>
<p class=MsoNormal><b>Tutor: Dr. Davide Ricci. <o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b>N. of available positions: 1<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Within the Brain Machine Interface research project of IIT,
that has the ultimate goal of extracting and decoding brain signals to drive
artificial actuators, a key issue is the investigation on how such brain
signals can be extracted from electrical recordings with the necessary temporal
and spatial resolutions. Nanomaterial coatings, such as carbon nanotubes, both
unmodified or bio-functionalized, offer the possibility to improve the
recording properties of traditional metal electrodes. Through direct integration
of nanomaterials in the electrode fabrication process, this Ph.D. research
project will deal with the following tasks: (1) designing efficient, long-term
recording microelectrodes; (2) investigating the possibility to record signals
from the surface of the cortex; (3) investigating the problem of input
impedance and making attempts to reduce it without loss in signal-to-noise
ratio; (4) studying how to minimize tissue reactions, such as
glyosis. The ideal candidate would have a background in one or more of
the following fields: material science, electrochemistry, micromechanics,
nanotechnology, physics.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><a name="OLE_LINK2"></a><a name="OLE_LINK1"></a><b>For
further details concerning the research project, please contact: </b><a
href="mailto:davide.ricci@iit.it"><b>davide.ricci@iit.it</b></a><b>)<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p>
<h4><a name="_Toc172461804"></a><a name="_Toc172340340"></a><span lang=EN-GB>Theme
5.9 – The Signal Treatment Problem</span><span lang=EN-GB> <o:p></o:p></span></h4>
<p class=MsoNormal><b>Tutor: Dr. Gytis Baranauskas<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b>N. of available positions: 1<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Any brain signal has to be amplified and processed before it
can be used to control a prosthetic device or a robotic manipulator. Moreover,
the device that amplifies and elaborates brain signals should be as small as
possible. We already have an integrated circuitry that is smaller than a finger
nail and that amplifies 64 independent neuronal signals. The goal of this
largely electronic engineering project is to build a single chip powered by
radio-waves that amplifies and processes signals from hundreds of neurons in
such a way that the chip output can be directly fed into the artificial system
driving a robotic arm. We expect to test this chip in animals as well as in human
patients. Thus, we are looking for a PhD student interested in analog
and digital microelectronics for biomedical applications and preferentially
with background in physics. The selected student will be working in close
collaboration with the project 5.8 team (see above).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b>For further details concerning the research project,
please contact: <span class=MsoHyperlink><a
href="mailto:baranauskas@elet.polimi.it">baranauskas@elet.polimi.it</a><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<h4><a name="_Toc172461805"></a><a name="_Toc172340341"></a><span lang=EN-GB>Theme
5.10: The Brain Signal Decoding Problem</span><span lang=EN-GB> <o:p></o:p></span></h4>
<p class=MsoNormal><b>Tutor: Prof. Stefano Panzeri<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b>N. of available positions: 1<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>A fundamental question in the development of
brain-machine-interfaces is how to extract information about sensory stimulus
or motor commands from a single-trial observation of neuronal activity. This
mathematical-analysis PhD project will aim at addressing this question by
investigating systematically which features of different types of recordings of
neural activity (such as spike trains of well isolated neurons, field
potentials, multiple-unit activity or other) convey the most information
about sensory stimuli or motor actions.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>We will develop data analysis techniques based on the
principles of information theory and then apply them to recordings of brain
activity provided by our experimental collaborators, with the goal of
determining how best to decode these brain signals. The ideal candidate
for this PhD studentship will a have a strong degree in a numerate discipline
such as physics, statistics, mathematics or computer science. No previous
knowledge of neuroscience is needed, although a strong motivation to contribute
to brain research is essential.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b>For more details concerning the research project, please
contact: </b><span class=header-from1><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><a
href="mailto:stefano.panzeri@manchester.ac.uk"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>stefano.panzeri@manchester.ac.uk</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<h4><a name="_Toc172461806"></a><a name="_Toc172340342"></a><span lang=EN-GB>Theme
5.11: The Movements vs. Actions Problem</span><span lang=EN-GB> <o:p></o:p></span></h4>
<p class=MsoNormal><b>Tutor: Prof. Luciano Fadiga <o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b>N. of available positions: 1<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Apart from very few exceptions, the research groups
currently working at BMI are doing their attempts by recording from the primary
motor cortex. Their goal is to decode directional tuning and individual muscles
control signals. We consider this approach quite risky. First of all because
several researchers are now disputing the idea that the motor cortex codes the
direction of reaching in absolute terms, second because recent
neurophysiological evidence shows that actions and not movements are mainly
coded by the brain. Within this field of research, one PhD student will be
involved in cortical electrophysiology to record single neurons' signals. The
aim is twofold: to study and understand the motor commands generated by the
brain during goal-directed acts and to set up long-term chronical recording
techniques, firstly in monkeys and then in humans. Backgrounds in computer
science, electronics and basic neuroscience are required.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b>For further details concerning the research project,
please contact: <span class=MsoHyperlink><a href="mailto:luciano.fadiga@iit.it">luciano.fadiga@iit.it</a></span></b><span
class=MsoHyperlink><b><span lang=EN-GB><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<h4><a name="_Toc172461807"></a><a name="_Toc172340343"></a><span lang=EN-GB>Theme
5.12: The Neurophysiology of the Human Brain</span><span lang=EN-GB><o:p></o:p></span></h4>
<p class=MsoNormal><b>Tutor: Dr. Elisa Molinari<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b>N. of available positions: 1<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>This work will concern brain imaging (functional magnetic
resonance) to investigate the cortical and subcortical activity of the motor
system during goal-directed actions. Through this project we will better understand
the functional correlates of motor planning/execution by analyzing data and
developing new single-subject analysis techniques. This will be done by taking
into account both the statistical significance and the intensity
(signal-to-noise ratio) of the activations. We are looking forward for one PhD
student which should be competent in physics, computer science and basic
neuroscience.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b>For further details concerning the research project,
please contact: <span class=MsoHyperlink><a href="mailto:elisa.molinari@iit.it">elisa.molinari@iit.it</a></span></b><span
class=MsoHyperlink><b><span lang=EN-GB><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<h4><a name="_Toc172461808"></a><a name="_Toc172340344"></a><span lang=EN-GB>Theme
5.13: The Role of Sensory Feedback in Brain Machine Interface.</span><span
lang=EN-GB><o:p></o:p></span></h4>
<p class=MsoNormal><b>Tutor: Dr. Alessandro Vato</b>. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b>N. of available positions: 1</b><b><span lang=EN-GB><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Within this field of research we will study in animal models
(and then in human patients) the relevance of sensory afferents for controlling
an artificial effector. Somatosensory real-time feedback is fundamental for
motor planning and for executing “on-line” errors correction during
movements. In people with sensory motor disabilities, the sensory information that
cannot reach the brain, can be “substituted” through an intact
sensory channel (i.e. eyes or ears) different from the damaged one.
Alternatively, the damaged sensory pathway can be “replaced” trying
to achieve the same sensation in an artificial way. The goal of this project is
to design an encoder interface to stimulate the sensory cortex of behaving rats
conveying sensory information related to the state of an external device. The
encoder will be part of a Bidirectional Brain Machine Interface System in which
neural signals recorded directly from the rat’s motor cortex will control
an external device and real-time feedback will be provided via electrical
stimulation of the sensory cortex. The candidate for this PhD position will be
required to have a background in computer science, electronics and basic
neuroscience.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b>For further details concerning the research project,
please contact: <span class=MsoHyperlink><a href="mailto:alessandro.vato@iit.it">alessandro.vato@iit.it</a></span></b><span
class=MsoHyperlink><b><span lang=EN-GB><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<h4><a name="_Toc172461809"></a><a name="_Toc172340345"></a><span lang=EN-GB>Theme
5.14: Machinery for Functional Brain Analysis</span><span lang=EN-GB><o:p></o:p></span></h4>
<p class=MsoNormal><b>Tutor: Dr. Franco Bertora<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b>N. of available positions: 1<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>In addition, and in parallel with the preceding themes,
there is at IIT an ongoing program to investigate the frontiers of functional
MRI. Any fMRI of the motor cortex has so far been performed on subjects
confined in a supine/prone position in the limited volume of a traditional
scanner. There are reasons to think that the analysis of subjects
performing motor tasks in a more “natural” environment could
produce different and more meaningful results. A study is currently in
progress to determine the feasibility of a scanner allowing functional brain
analysis of a human adult in a standing or sitting position. We are
looking for one PhD student with background in physics, electronics, signal
processing and MRI to explore the possibly novel imaging techniques (MRI
sequences, data acquisition modalities and image reconstruction) to be included
in the development of the scanner.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>For further details concerning the research project, please
contact: <span class=MsoHyperlink><b><a href="mailto:franco.bertora@iit.it">franco.bertora@iit.it</a></b></span><span
class=MsoHyperlink><b><span lang=EN-GB><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-GB><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>