The goal of this workshop award is to identify critical challenges in the field of neuromechanical engineering that can be addressed by research in the areas of dynamics, control, and optimization. It is expected that research in these areas will lead to new models of human sensory-motor coordination and to new ways of leveraging these models in developing technology that can assist, rehabilitate, and augment human sensory-motor function. A diverse group of engineers, scientists, and clinicians will be invited to assess the current state of research and educational activities in neuromechanical engineering and to develop recommendations for new research themes. Deliverables include a final report that presents these recommendations to the broader research and educational community and to the general public.
This workshop will promote research that has high impact on areas of critical national need related to assistance, rehabilitation, and augmentation of sensory-motor function. Some of these areas are as follows: (1) powered orthotics to assist drop-foot gait in people suffering from complications of stroke, polio, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, and cerebral palsy; (2) robotic therapies to rehabilitate coordination and basic motor skills for stroke survivors; and (3) brain-machine interfaces and prosthetics to restore sensory-motor function to amputees and to people with spinal cord injury. The workshop will also catalyze transformative progress toward ?reverse-engineering the brain,? a grand challenge proposed by the National Academy of Engineering for the 21st century. The diverse group of participants will enhance cross-disciplinary collaboration and will increase engagement with researchers who are from under-represented groups and who are early in their careers.
