LEARNING OUTCOMES

L’insegnamento intende mostrare come I nostri sensi interagiscono e come sia possibile usare l'integrazione multisensoriale per monitorare il corretto funzionamento del nostro cervello e come sia possibile riabilitare/aumentare/recuperare le abilità sensoriali perse. Il corso mostrerà agli studenti come le attuali tecnologie e le conoscenze sui meccanismi sensoriali possano 1) aiutare, potenziare, educare il corretto sviluppo delle facoltà sensoriali, 2) riabilitare i deficit sensoriali, 3) assistere la diagnosi di disfunzioni sensoriali 4) permettere una diagnosi precoce di patologie degenerative

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Firstly, the course will cover the scientific bases, technologies, and chronic viability of emerging neurosensory prosthetic devices. Secondly, the course will discuss recent progress in neuromorphic engineering, where neuromorphic sensors and sensory systems have made the greatest strides in recent years with many electronic able to mimic the human sensory systems, and subsequent sensor processing. Thirdly, the course aims to show how our senses interact and how it is possible to use multisensory integration to monitor the proper functioning of our brain and how it is possible to rehabilitate/increase/recover lost sensory abilities. The course will be composed of lectures, working-code examples, and hands-on session

At the end the student will be able to:

• Understand the main technological solutions to realize prosthetic systems capable of achieving the partial recovery of sensory functions
• Know the main technological solutions to realize artificial neuromorphic systems
• Know the main techniques of transduction, coding, and processing of sensory signals
• Describe the basics of sensory coding and how it can be used to produce artificial systems capable of emulating human sensory systems.
• Knowing how current technologies and knowledge about sensory mechanisms can 1) help, empower, educate the proper development of sensory faculties, 2) rehabilitate sensory deficits, 3) assist in the diagnosis of sensory dysfunctions
• Understanding the principles of multisensory integration and how it can be used to rehabilitate sensory deficits

PREREQUISITES

Programming Matlab and C++/C#, basics of neurophysiology and neuroanatomy, physics, mathematics

TEACHING METHODS

Frontal lectures both in classical and flipped-class mode. Problem based learning with projects to be carried out independently in working groups.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Neurosensory prostheses

1. Visual prostheses
2. Audio prostheses
3. Vestibular prostheses

Neuromorphic engineering

1. Neuromorphic retina
2. Neuromorphic ear
3. Neuromorphic nose
4. Neuromorphic skin

Sensory substitution and augmentation

1. Audio for vision
2. Vision for audio
3. Touch for vision
4. Touch for audio

Bases of Multisensory integration