Aims and scope

The control of complex robotic systems requires the interaction of mechanisms for perception, sensorimotor coordination, and motor control. Many successful applications of neural computation to robotics have been developed, although most of these connectionist approaches were based on control theory formalisms. Only recently some new approaches are appearing that are largely inspired by current neurophysiological knowledge. This recent progress in biologically-inspired robotics suggests that a very promising track to be followed is the interplay between robotic research and the current understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying the behavior of living organisms. For instance, impressive state-of-the-art results show that monkeys chronically implanted with multielectrode arrays in the brain can learn to control a robot arm through a brain-machine interface. This new trend is being supported by the European Commission in different recent calls.

Engineering and computer science students interested in this new cross-disciplinary topic usually find it difficult to get introduced in the basic principles of Neuroscience that are relevant to robotics research, and usually get discouraged, lost in a mesh of new concepts, when they try to learn by themselves. This school has a double objective: first, to present to an audience with an engineering or computer science background, the basic insights and neural mechanisms that may be instrumental in solving problems in robotics. Second, to encourage students to get involved in this exciting new field by showing them the innumerable possibilities of the collaboration between neuroscience and robotics. For this reason, life sciences students interested in the field are equally welcome.

As long-term results of this cross-fertilization we would expect that as we learn more about the neurophysiology of living beings, we will be able to build better robots and, conversely, the construction and programming of robots may provide new hypothesis for the study of neural mechanisms.

Special attention will be devoted to:

• Sensorimotor transformations:
• Perception and Sensor Fusion
• Motor Control
• Visually-guided Manipulation and Grasping
• Hybrid bionic systems:
• Non-invasive Brain-Robot Interfaces
• Invasive Brain-Robot Interfaces through cortical multi-electrode recordings
• Neuroprosthetics for restoring motor and perceptual deficits
• Neural correlates of higher cognitive functions
• Perceptual-motor systems, imitation and social robots
• Perception of postures, gestures, and actions performed by others
• The neural mirror system: data and models

The participants will get in touch with other young researchers in the field and will have the opportunity to improve their knowledge through the tutorials given by experts. Another important objective is to provide graduate students a unique training opportunity in this emergent and fast-evolving domain. Students will closely interact for one week with some of the top-level researchers in the world in this domain. They will also have the opportunity to discuss their research work with these researchers, as well as with other students.