Biomimetic Prosthesis - Soft Robotics with Neurormorphic Sensing
EVENTS |
Biomimetic Prosthesis - Soft Robotics with Neurormorphic Sensing
Prof. Nitish Thakor | Munich Economic Debate | 8 June 2026, Time to be announced
Location: to be announced
Livestream: to be announced
Present-day prostheses are inspired by human hands but actually utilize conventional robotics technology using metallic fingers, tendons, and motorized actuation. In this talk, Prof. Nitish Thakor explores the transition to mimicking human hands at two levels: 1) incorporating soft, or more precisely soft-hard (or hybrid) mechanical design, and 2) mimicking human skin by designing sensors with receptors and neuromorphic encoding for sensory perception.
These technologies are used to demonstrate a more biomimetic prosthesis and its myoelectric control. Based on the success of the biomimetic skin, the work continues to advance sensor technology and explore high-density, high-speed tactile sensing, with applications not only in upper-limb prosthetics but also in lower-limb and robotics applications. The talk concludes with ideas and unmet needs for upper and lower limbs and bioinspired sensing.
Biography
Prof. Nitish Thakor is a Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. His expertise lies in Medical Instrumentation and Neuroengineering, where he has conducted research on various technologies for brain monitoring, implantable neurotechnologies, neuroprostheses, and brain-machine interfaces. He has published over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles (GH Index 109), holds 20 US and international patents, and has co-founded three active companies. He previously served as the Editor-in-Chief of IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering and is currently the Editor-in-Chief of Medical and Biological Engineering and Computing (Springer Nature). He directed the Singapore Institute for Neurotechnology (SINAPSE) from 2012 to 2022. He received a Research Career Development Award from NIH and a Presidential Young Investigator Award from the NSF. He is a Fellow of AIMBE, a Life Fellow of IEEE, BMES, and IAMBE. Additionally, he has received a Distinguished Alumnus Award from the Indian Institute of Technology, India, and a Centennial Medal from the University of Wisconsin School of Engineering. In 2021, he was elected to the National Academy of Inventors.
Websites
https://engineering.jhu.edu/faculty/nitish-thakor/
https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=SB_7Bi0AAAAJ&