Browse Topic: Nervous system

Items (591)
Find
A Study of Brain Dynamics in Simulated Piloting Tracking TasksF-0081-2025-03445/20/2025
A study of mental workload and the resultant cognitive-motor behavior is essential to understanding the intrinsic limitations of the human information processing system, the results of which have impact on the design of safety-critical systems. While the effects of increased task demand on mental workload and the quality of cognitive-motor performance has been previously investigated, it remains unclear how system controllability (i.e., expected handling qualities) impacts perceptual workload and performance. Furthermore, traditional EEG spectral metrics lack the temporal specificity to capture dynamic workload. Consequently, the purpose of this experiment was to examine objective brain dynamics, task performance, and subjective ratings during piloting tracking tasks of varying complexity while also challenging participants with different expected levels of handling qualities. Our results revealed a trend suggestive of increasing mental workload related to increased task complexity and
Hatfield, Bradley
A Haptic Patch Can Transmit Complex Information to a Wearer’s SkinTBMG-5224812/12/2024
Soft Robotic System for Brain SurgeryTBMG-497771/1/2024
Researchers have laid the groundwork for a soft robotic tool and control system that could grant surgeons an unprecedented degree of maneuverability within the brain. A recent study demonstrates that the new system is both intuitive and highly accurate. The early results suggest that, with further development, the robot could one day speed up and improve the efficacy of minimally invasive surgeries for life-threatening brain aneurysms and other serious conditions.
Keys to NVH Engineering Success You Won’t Learn in School2025-01-00725/5/2023
Based on 44 years of NVH engineering experience, there are some keys to success that aren’t taught in engineering schools. This paper will describe these in detail and provide examples to add context. The keys are: 1. A good generalist makes a better expert. The more you understand about the complete product development process, and the better contacts you have throughout the product development organization, the easier it will be for you to find cost effective solutions to your specific issues. 2. Know your customers, and that means both internal and external customers. If you work for a supplier, it means OEMs and end users. The more you understand about the customers’ needs, the better you can address them and make your product stand out. 3. Make a crazy idea practical. Sometimes you might find a completely insane solution to your problem, such as making a major component out of solid gold. If you can use the insight gained from the insane solution to develop a practical solution
Reinhart, Thomas
Study on Influencing Factors of Hippocampal Injury in Closed Head Impact Experiments of Rats Using Orthogonal Experimental Design Method2023-01-00014/11/2023
The hippocampus plays a crucial role in brain function and is one of the important areas of concern in closed head injury. Hippocampal injury is related to a variety of factors including the strength of mechanical load, animal age, and helmet material. To investigate the order of these factors on hippocampal injury, a three-factor, three-level experimental protocol was established using the L(3) orthogonal table. A closed head injury experiment regarding impact strength (0.3MPa, 0.5MPa, 0.7MPa), rat age (eight- week-old, ten-week-old, twelve-week-old), and helmet material (steel, plastic, rubber) were achieved by striking the rat's head with a pneumatic-driven impactor. The number of hippocampal CA3 cells was used as an evaluation indicator. The contribution of factors to the indicators and the confidence level were obtained by analysis of variance. The results showed that impact strength was the main factor affecting hippocampal injury (contribution of 89.2%, confidence level 0.01
Wang, Peng, Song, Xuewei, Zhu, Xiyan, Qiu, Jinlong, Yang, Shuaijun, Zhao, Hui
Space Radiation Research Fights Cancer on EarthTBMG-4696111/3/2022
Development of Biomechanical Computational Models of Six-year-old Child Occupant with Different Sitting Postures and Application in the Study of Whiplash Injuries2022-01-10523/29/2022
Whiplash injury is one of the main types of child occupant neck injuries in traffic accident. With the development of intelligent cockpit, child occupants will engage in traffic operation in various sitting positions. Therefore, studying the mechanism and risk of whiplash injury of child occupants with different sitting postures has important application value for the research and development of child restraint system. In this study, the 120° and 135° sitting postures of six-year-old child occupant were developed based on the validated 105° sitting posture finite element model with detailed anatomical structure. The whiplash test in Euro NCAP was reconstructed to evaluate the influence of sitting position angle on the risk of whiplash injury. In the three groups of simulation experiments, the Upper Neck Tension (Fz) was far less than the higher limit of Euro NCAP evaluation although the Fz value increased as the upper torso angle increases. However, the Upper Neck Shear (Fx) and Neck
Li, Haiyan, Wang, Yanxin, He, Lijuan, Lv, Wenle, Cui, Shihai, Ruan, Jesse Shijie
Effect of Circadian Interior Automobile Lighting on commuters2021-26-01329/22/2021
Chronobiological studies elaborate the working of a biological clock, “the built-in timing device” in an organism and similarly define the creation of circadian rhythm of a human being. The Suprachiasmatic Nucleus (SCN) in the hypothalamus of a human brain detects changes in the surrounding environment through the eyes and tends to affect this circadian rhythm which in turn affects human behavior, hormonal cycles, sleep deprivation and even driving or daily commute. Melatonin released due to the photopic and scotopic signals received by the brain controls the amount of “alertness” or “sleepiness” in commuters which can assist in improved efficiency and prevent accidents while driving. Since inadequate lighting scenarios can not only affect the optical activity and visual orientations it does also affect the non-visual sensory activities by inadvertently disorienting the circadian rhythm. Advanced research in melatonin induced driving suggests increased sleepiness and low concentration
Biswas, Akash, Joshi PhD, Madhusudan, Singh, Mahendar Pal
Tiny Wireless Device Illuminates Neuron Activity in the BrainTBMG-397629/1/2021
Researchers are creating new tools for a method called optogenetics, which shines light at specific neurons in the brain to excite or suppress activity. Optogenetics experiments are aimed at increasing understanding of how the brain works, allowing scientists to develop and test potential cures for illnesses such as neurodegenerative diseases.
Tapping the Brain to Boost Stroke RehabilitationTBMG-385642/1/2021
Stroke survivors who had ceased to benefit from conventional rehabilitation gained clinically significant arm movement and control by using an external robotic device powered by the patients’ own brains.
Hyperscreen brings new meaning to ‘widescreen’ display21AUTP02_112/1/2021
Mercedes-Benz in January unveiled its new Hyperscreen, a colossal 56-inch IP display that will debut on its 2022 EQS EV sedan and serve as the visual platform for the latest MBUX infotainment interface. Revealed as part of M-B's 2021 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) media runup, the Hyperscreen is the latest salvo in what is likely to be a barrage of dash-dominating displays. Harman already has shown several expansive prototypes and Cadillac in 2020 kicked off the OEM competition with its 34-inch LG-sourced OLED display in the 2021 Cadillac Escalade. According to M-B, the all-new display will provide “emotional intelligence” for its upcoming all-electric EQS flagship model, and the curved panel will extend nearly the width of the A-pillars. M-B is using the expanded display's real estate to implement what it calls the “zero-layer” feature, reducing operating steps by eliminating the need to scroll through menus. The screen permits applications that are deemed situationally and
Seredynski, Paul
Designing Rugged Myoelectric Interfaces for Highly Functional ProstheticsTBMG-383081/1/2021
Using the laptops and cellphones in today’s world is solved by using modern prosthetic devices that connect signals from the brain via surface-mounted sensors and detectors. New sensor technologies combined with high-performance microwiring is extending the performance and reliability of active myoelectric prosthetics. The evolution of newly developed microprocessor chip sensors offers advanced communication from the brain to the prosthetic devices. Myographic chips monitor and measure the force produced by muscles as they move from relaxed mode to contractions and can deliver intensity and muscle signal speed. The surface-mounted electromyographic sensors with isolated microwiring receive analog signals sent from the brain to be captured and converted to digital signals. They are then connected to newly adapted prosthetic devices that enhance the life and capability of amputee patients.
Magnetic Brain Waves to Detect Injury and DiseaseTBMG-383251/1/2021
A new sensor measures weak magnetic signals in the brain, which has the potential to increase the understanding of connectivity in the brain and detect signs of traumatic brain injury, dementia, and schizophrenia. The optically pumped magnetometer (OPM) sensor uses polarized light to detect changes in the orientation of the spin of atoms when they are exposed to a magnetic field.
Technology Aids Surgeon-Guided Robotic HandsTBMG-3819512/1/2020
Steady hands and uninterrupted, sharp vision are extremely critical when performing surgery on delicate structures like the brain or hair-thin blood vessels. While surgical cameras have tremendously improved what surgeons see during operative procedures, the steady hand remains to be enhanced. New surgical technologies, including surgeon-guided robotic hands, cannot prevent accidental injuries when operating close to fragile tissue.
Small Brain Implant Helps Paralyzed PatientsTBMG-3816912/1/2020
A tiny device the size of a small paperclip has been shown to help patients with upper limb paralysis to text, e-mail, and even shop online in the first human trial. The device, Stentrode™, has been implanted successfully in two patients, who both suffer from severe paralysis due to motor neuron disease (MND) — also known amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) — and neither had complete ability to move their upper limbs.
High-Performance, Low-Field MRI for Cardiac and Lung ImagingTBMG-3796911/1/2020
A low-magnetic-field MRI system was developed that vastly improves image quality of the lungs and other internal structures of the human body. The low-field system may also be safer for patients with pacemakers or defibrillators, quieter, and easier to maintain and install.
Balance Scale Predicts and Helps Prevent FallsTBMG-3800411/1/2020
Spinoff is NASA’s annual publication featuring successfully commercialized NASA technology. This commercialization has contributed to the development of products and services in the fields of health and medicine, consumer goods, transportation, public safety, computer technology, and environmental resources.
Tiny, Magnetically Powered Neural StimulatorTBMG-3800811/1/2020
Neuroengineers have created a tiny surgical implant that can electrically stimulate the brain and nervous system without using a battery or wired power supply. The device draws its power from magnetic energy and is about the size of a grain of rice. It is the first magnetically powered neural stimulator that produces the same kind of high-frequency signals as clinically approved, battery-powered implants that are used to treat epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, chronic pain, and other conditions.
Optical Imaging Technology May Help Surgeons Better Treat Cancer, Brain DiseasesTBMG-3807211/1/2020
A new tool for medical professionals may help shed more light on tumors in the body and how the brain operates.
Driver Drowsiness and Fatigue in the Safe Operation of Vehicles - Definition of Terms and ConceptsJ3198_202010 (Current)10/26/2020
This SAE Information Report provides definitions and discussions of key terms concerning driver drowsiness and fatigue, and basic information on measuring drowsiness and fatigue. It also includes information and concepts for driver drowsiness as they relate to the safe operation of a vehicle. The key driver drowsiness and fatigue causal factors include the following: (1) sleep quality and quantity, (2) time of day, (3) time awake, (4) time on task (modulated by characteristics of the driving task), (5) task-related fatigue (variations of arousal levels related to task underload and overload), and (6) combinations of these factors. Medical conditions, medication, alcohol, or drugs exacerbate drowsiness; however, the discussion in this report is limited to fatigue concepts. This report has two primary outputs: (1) definitions and discussions of key terms concerning driver drowsiness and fatigue, and (2) basic information on measuring drowsiness and fatigue and its effects on the safe
Driver Metrics, Performance, Behaviors and States Committee
Electronics Mimic the Human Brain in Biological LearningTBMG-3782810/1/2020
Researchers have discovered, while investigating protein nanowires, how to use these biological, electricity-conducting filaments to make a neuromorphic memristor or “memory transistor” device. It runs extremely efficiently on very low power, as brains do, to carry signals between neurons.
3D-Printed Soft, Rubbery Brain ImplantsTBMG-3780210/1/2020
Brain implants are typically made from metal and other rigid materials that over time can cause inflammation and the buildup of scar tissue. Engineers are developing soft, flexible neural implants that can gently conform to the brain's contours and monitor activity over longer periods without aggravating surrounding tissue. Such flexible electronics could be softer alternatives to existing metal-based electrodes designed to monitor brain activity and may also be useful in brain implants that stimulate neural regions to ease symptoms of epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, and severe depression.
Integrated Microchips for Electronic SkinTBMG-3780110/1/2020
Human skin allows for interfacing with external physical environments through numerous receptors interconnected with the nervous system. Scientists have been trying to transfer these features to artificial skin, aiming at robotic applications. Operation of robotic systems heavily relies on electronic and magnetic field sensing functionalities required for positioning and orientation in space.
Robotic Arm Helps Perform Delicate SurgeriesTBMG-375809/1/2020
Steady hands and uninterrupted, sharp vision are critical when performing surgery on delicate structures like the brain or hair-thin blood vessels. While surgical cameras have improved what surgeons see during operative procedures, the “steady hand” remains to be enhanced — new surgical technologies, including sophisticated surgeon-guided robotic hands, cannot prevent accidental injuries when operating close to fragile tissue.
Thin Film Electrodes Show Potential for Transforming NeurosurgeryTBMG-375949/1/2020
Advances in thin film technology could soon offer a less invasive and more cost-effective solution to enhance neurosurgery for people with neurological brain conditions, including epilepsy.
Q&A: Wireless Power for Neural StimulationTBMG-376579/1/2020
Prof. Jacob Robinson and a team of researchers at Rice University (Houston, TX) developed a prototype of an implantable neural stimulator — the size of a grain of rice — that needs no batteries. Instead, it is powered wirelessly by means of an externally applied magnetic field.
Engineers 3D-Print Sensors Onto Moving OrgansTBMG-376689/1/2020
A new technique allows 3D printing of hydrogel-based sensors directly on the surface of organs, such as lungs — even as they expand and contract. The technology was developed to support robot-assisted medical treatments. According to the researchers, along with a robot's ability to assist a surgeon with removing a tumor from a lung, for example, this technology could 3D print a sensor onto the surface of the lung to monitor how well it functions during and following the procedure.
Wireless “Pacemaker” for the BrainTBMG-376229/1/2020
Simultaneously stimulating and recording electrical signals in the brain is much like trying to see small ripples in a pond while also splashing your feet — the electrical signals from the brain are overwhelmed by the large pulses of electricity delivered by the stimulation. Currently, deep brain stimulators either stop recording while delivering the electrical stimulation or record at a different part of the brain from where the stimulation is applied — essentially measuring the small ripples at a different point in the pond from the splashing.
Electronic “Skin” Brings Sense of Touch and Pain to Prosthetic HandsTBMG-376249/1/2020
Amputees often experience the sensation of a “phantom limb” — a feeling that a missing body part is still there. Pain, while unpleasant, is an essential, protective sense of touch that is lacking in the prostheses that are currently available to amputees. Advances in prosthesis designs and control mechanisms can aid an amputee’s ability to regain lost function, but they often lack meaningful, tactile feedback or perception.
Spinal Stimulators Repurposed to Restore Touch in Lost LimbTBMG-375799/1/2020
Imagine tying your shoes or taking a sip of coffee or cracking an egg but without any feeling in your hand. That’s life for users of even the most advanced prosthetic arms.
EEG-Based Technique for Controlling a Robotic Arm with the BrainTBMG-376439/1/2020
Researchers have developed a technique that allows people to control a robotic arm using only their minds. The research has the potential to help millions of people who are paralyzed or have neurodegenerative diseases.
Tiny, Magnetically Powered Implant Stimulates Brain Without BatteryTBMG-373448/1/2020
Rice University neuroengineers have created a tiny surgical implant that can electrically stimulate the brain and nervous system without using a battery or wired power supply.
Products of Tomorrow: August 2020TBMG-374578/1/2020
This column presents technologies that have applications in commercial areas, possibly creating the products of tomorrow. To learn more about each technology, see the contact information provided for that innovation.
Man vs Machine: Who Reigns Supreme for Quality Inspection?TBMG-373858/1/2020
The human eye is a particularly complex instrument. Working in combination with the brain, it allows us to perceive our surroundings. We are able to recognize objects in a split second, even when their exact shape varies. We use perspective to analyze our environment and have a wide field of vision capable of focusing very sharply on particular areas. These abilities have gradually evolved over millennia as humans continually adapted to many different stimuli and environments in order to survive.
Magnetic Force Manages PainTBMG-374648/1/2020
Mainstream modern medicine centers on using pharmaceuticals to make chemical or molecular changes inside the body to treat disease; however, recent breakthroughs in the control of forces at small scales have opened up a new treatment idea: using physical force to kickstart helpful changes inside cells. This idea is referred to as “mechanoceuticals.”
Wearable Brain Scanner for Whole Head ImagingTBMG-373638/1/2020
A new type of wearable brain scanner is revealing new possibilities for understanding and diagnosing mental illness after the technology has been expanded to scan the whole brain with millimeter accuracy.
New High-Speed Microscope Can Capture Brain NeuroactivityTBMG-371837/1/2020
Our brain contains tens of billions of nerve cells (neurons) which constantly communicate with each other by sending chemical and electrical flashes, each lasting one millisecond. In every millisecond, these billions of swift-flying flashes travel together in a giant starmap in the brain that lights up a complicated glittering pattern. These are the origins of all body functions and behaviors such as emotions, perceptions, thoughts, actions, and memories; and also, brain disorders, for example, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.
Recording Device Could Help Development of Brainwave-Controlled Devices, Including ProstheticsTBMG-372387/1/2020
The Frances Crick Institute London, UK
Soft Tactile Logic Distributes Decision-Making Throughout Stretchable MaterialTBMG-370476/1/2020
Soft tactile logic was developed that can make decisions at the material level where the sensor is receiving input, rather than relying on a centralized, semiconductor-based logic system. The resulting device is not quite a robot and not quite a computer but has characteristics of both.
Can a Wearable Help You Get Quality Zzzzs?TBMG-370176/1/2020
How well did you sleep last night? Did you wake up feeling truly rested, or somewhat groggy? Quality sleep is essential for our health and well-being, but with as many as one-third of American adults not getting enough sleep regularly, it’s a problem that’s desperate for solutions.
Q&A: Tactile Robot Finger with No Blind SpotsTBMG-370346/1/2020
Matei Ciocarlie, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Columbia University, has developed, with his team, a robotic finger that has a sense of touch that can be localized with high precision over a large, multi-curved surface.
Light-Based Deep Brain Stimulation Relieves Symptoms of Parkinson’s DiseaseTBMG-371156/1/2020
Biomedical engineers at Duke University have used deep brain stimulation based on light to treat motor dysfunction in an animal model of Parkinson’s disease. Succeeding where earlier attempts have failed, the method promises to provide new insights into why deep brain stimulation works and ways in which it can be improved on a patient-by-patient basis.
Q&A: How Do You Protect Your IP?TBMG-369135/1/2020
Medical device companies are in a race to benefit humanity — and impress potential investors or acquirers in the process. They must stand out enough to be noticed, but this can put their good ideas on the radar of potential copiers. They must convince the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that their products are safe, while convincing buyers that their products are effective and different. How should medical device companies protect their intellectual property (IP) in this labyrinth? In this Q&A, Philip Nelson, a partner with Knobbe Martens, provides some insights for device companies facing these issues.
Mobile, Wearable EEG Device with Nanowire SensorsTBMG-368385/1/2020
The electroencephalogram (EEG) is one of the few methods of visualizing brain function and is the mainstay of diagnosis of seizure disorders as well as many other neurologic conditions. Conventional EEG devices provide high-quality signals; that is, good signal-to-noise ratio. These devices, however, are not conducive to mobile real-world applications because they are wired devices that tether participants to a given location, limiting the activities they can perform. Furthermore, these devices are not amenable for long-term use because electrodes in these devices typically require electrolytic gel to make contact with the scalp. This dries out over time, thereby reducing signal quality and increasing discomfort due to dried salt deposits. There are currently no viable options for a research-grade EEG device that can be worn for prolonged periods of time and are mobile enough to benefit from participants’ real-world interactions.
Microfluidics Device Detects Cancer Cells in BloodTBMG-368345/1/2020
The ability to successfully isolate cancer cells is a crucial step in enabling liquid biopsy where cancer could be detected through a simple blood draw. This would eliminate the discomfort and cost of tissue biopsies that use needles or surgical procedures as part of cancer diagnosis. Liquid biopsy could also be useful in tracking the efficacy of chemotherapy over the course of time, and for detecting cancer in organs difficult to access through traditional biopsy techniques including the brain and lungs.
Disposable Device Treats Severe Side-Effect of CancerTBMG-369125/1/2020
BrainCool AB, a Swedish medical device company that specializes in medical cooling technology for therapeutic hypothermia (brain cooling) and oncology, has completed patient recruitment in the Scandinavian multi-center pivotal trial of 180 patients to investigate its Cooral® System for prevention of oral mucositis (OM), one of the most debilitating side-effects of both standard and high-dose chemotherapeutic oncology treatments.
A Stability-Guaranteed Time-Delay Range for Feedback Control of Autonomous Vehicles2020-01-00904/14/2020
The vehicles with level-5 autonomy (L5AVs) that have no human driver in the loop are also known as self-driving cars. L5AVs are assumed the next generation of ground transportation, which have growing attention from both industry and academia in most recent years. Most of the work related to feedback strategies of L5AVs are on developing mapping systems through a variety of sensors. These systems can be considered as an analogue to the perception and central nervous system of human drivers. For instance, innovative visualization systems are more powerful when compared to the visual perception system of a person, yet, mapping demands high computation loads. This burden causes delay in the feedback loop and thus, it might have an unfavorable influence on proper and safe control action. This study investigates the effect of time delay occurring in mapping systems on the stability of the controlled vehicle. An algorithm entitled as “Cluster Treatment of Characteristic Roots - CTCR” is used
Kirli, Ahmet, Arslan, Mehmet Selçuk
Soft, Conformable Hearing ImplantsTBMG-361593/1/2020
Close to half a million people around the world suffer from a serious hearing impairment. In some cases, they can find relief in cochlear and other types of implants. Yet these devices do not help people whose inner ear is damaged or whose auditory nerve does not function properly. For these patients to recover their sense of hearing, electrical signals must be sent directly to the auditory brainstem. The neuroprosthetic used for this purpose is called an auditory brainstem implant (ABI); however, the outcomes of ABIs are mixed and in many cases, patients recover only sound perception. Clinical ABIs are also stiff and cannot conform precisely to the curvature of the auditory brainstem.
Wireless System Powers Devices Inside the BodyTBMG-361693/1/2020
In the brain, implantable electrodes that deliver an electrical current are used for a technique known as deep brain stimulation, which is often used to treat Parkinson’s disease or epilepsy. These electrodes are now controlled by a pacemaker-like device implanted under the skin, which could be eliminated if wireless power is used. Wireless brain implants could also help deliver light to stimulate or inhibit neuron activity through optogenetics, which so far has not been adapted for use in humans but could be useful for treating many neurological disorders.
Engineers Design Bionic ‘Heart’ for Testing Prosthetic Valves, Other Cardiac DevicesTBMG-362623/1/2020
As the geriatric population is expected to balloon in the coming decade, so too will rates of heart disease in the United States. The demand for prosthetic heart valves and other cardiac devices — a market that is valued at more than $5 billion dollars today — is predicted to rise by almost 13 percent in the next six years.
Items per page:
1 – 50 of 591