Adaptive Neural Systems Group

Traumatic injury or neurological diseases can significantly alter or impair the lifestyle of the afflicted individual. Driven by the needs of potential users, our engineers and scientists at the Adaptive Neural Systems (ANS) Group are designing and developing technology to offset the effects of limb amputation, orthopedic injury and disease, and other neurodegenerative diseases. By applying a multifaceted approach, the group investigates the effects of trauma and disorders of the nervous system to replace damaged or lost functionality or to repair the system using advanced adaptive devices and therapeutic techniques. ANS Group is focused on developing and utilizing new scientific knowledge and engineering technology to address the complex physiological, medical and societal problems presented by neurological disability. Its research agenda is at the intersection between bioengineering, neuroscience and rehabilitation. The multidisciplinary team is made up of engineers, clinicians and scientists with a wide range of expertise from electrical, mechanical and biomedical engineering, to neurosurgery and physical therapy, and neuroscience, physiology, exercise science and kinesiology. This multifaceted team works together to address problems of neurological disabilities at multiple levels from molecular/cellular physiology through neural circuitry, systems neurophysiology, to musculoskeletal physiology and behavior. The goal of this research is to deliver advanced medical technology. The scope of the center’s activities includes the design and development of new technology, the evaluation of technology in whole animal and human subject trials, and the transfer of these technologies to biomedical industry and clinical practice.