#neurobots

One hour-long session with a cuddly seal-like social robot increased happiness, boosted oxytocin levels, and reduced pain in adults.#psychology #robotics #neuroscience #science

Mind-controlled arm prostheses that ‘feel’ are now a part of everyday life A prosthetic arm that is attached to the bone and controlled by electrodes implanted in nerves and muscles can operate more precisely than conventional prosthetic limbs. Researchers improved the neuroprosthetic limb by integrating tactile sensory feedback, so the patient can “feel” items.

Rat spinal cords control neural function in biobots Researchers combined intact neurons from a rat’s spinal cord with a tissue-engineered 3D muscle system, creating a biohybrid robot, or biobot. After culturing the system for seven days, the motor neurons from the spinal cord produced electrical activity, causing contractions in the artificial muscles and mimicking the behavior of the peripheral nervous system. The findings could have positive implications for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders that affect motor control.

Doctors have successfully used robotic technology to treat brain aneurysms. The robotic system could eventually allow remote surgery, enabling surgeons to treat brain disorders that require surgery from afar.

Robots that express vulnerability influences conversational dynamics between humans.

Using robotics, researchers uncover mechanisms in the cerebellum and spinal cord that determine how the nervous system responds to induced changes in step length. The findings could have implications for physical rehabilitation programs for people with movement disorders.

A new soft robotics exosuit brings immediate improvements in walking speed and endurance for those recovering from stroke. 

Microscopic ‘xenobots’ created from frog embryo stem cells promise advances from drug delivery to neurological waste clean up.