Project 8: Neural interfaces for control of semi-autonomous robotic systems
Adviser(s): Tim Bretl (Assistant Professor, Aerospace Engineering)
Project description:
Our goal is to enable people to control robots just by thinking. Last summer, students in our lab built a radio-controlled sailplane and two neural sensors—one uses surface electromyography (EMG) to detect subvocalization or “silent speech” and the other uses electroencephalography (EEG) to detect signals in the brain. This summer we will put these tools together and fly the sailplane hands-free, with input from either EMG or EEG signals instead of from a joystick. Because these signals are noisy and low-bandwidth, we will focus on changing the dynamic response of the sailplane in order to make specific tasks easier to accomplish.
Student background and expected research activities:
This project is very hard and so will be a lot of fun for a motivated student. You can contribute at the level of theory (dynamic modeling and algorithm design), computation (signal processing and embedded systems programming), and/or experimentation (implementation and analysis in hardware). A variety of backgrounds will be considered, including dynamics and control, computer science, bioengineering, neuroscience, and robotics.
Point of contact: Tim Bretl (Office: 321A Talbot; Phone: 217-244-3126; Email: tbretl@illinois.edu)
Figure 1. Last summer we built this sailplane. This summer we’ll fly it with neural signals.
