Brain-Machine Interfaces (BMI) decode information in the brain when bodily movement or judgment is made, and enable mental control of external devices to aid in physical functions. Research in BMI contributes to creation of innovations for recovering or supplementing physical functions limited by disability, etc.

Accordingly, this strategic sector aims at creation of unconventional, innovative fundamental technologies necessary for development of BMI: e.g., a technology for retrieving information from brain activities and decoding brain information, a device control technology for controlling external devices based on the obtained information in the brain, a technology for feeding external information back to the brain, and other technologies.

The area "Decoding and controlling brain information" is supervised by Mitsuo Kawato, Director and ATR Fellow, ATR Computational Neuroscience Laboratories.

The design figure above symbolizes the innovative integration of technologies and brain sciences at which we are aiming in this research project. The softly-weaving robot, dancing a Japanese traditional dance (Awa-Odori), is closely communicating with the brain. An Awa-Odori robot has once been developed by Dr. Mitsuo Kawato, the supervisor of this research program. Close association of our program with in vitro biosciences is shown by grape-like particles, and star-shaped "neurons". A concentric circle shows our dream expanding into the universe, including the establishment of BMI technologies based on concrete theories and experimental findings.

Our research program, "Decoding and Controlling Brain Information", covers quite wide areas in basic and applied brain sciences, in addition to experimental and theoretical neurosciences, and engineering sciences creating robots or developing new elaborate electrodes. They include not only the brain research in biosciences and neurogenetics, but also humanities such as neuropsychology, neuro-economics, management and neuro-ethics. We would integrate concepts in these broad disciplines, and create a new horizon at the crossing point, where productive application of BMI will be close at hand.

2010/3/16

The Researcher, Hidehiko Takahashi (1st Phase), has been transferred to Department of Psychiatry, Kyoto University (as an Associate professor): 2010/3/16 (Tue)

2010/3/11

The supervisor, Mitsuo Kawato, won the Okawa Prize for 2009: 2009/10/5

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2010/1/12

The Researcher, Kyousuke Kamada (2nd Phase), has been transferred to School of Medicine, Neurosurgery, Asahikawa Medical College (as a Professor/Chairman): 2010/1/16 (Sat)

2010/1/12

The 4th PRESTO Meeting of the Research Area will be held in Yubari Resort (Hokkaido): 2010/6/5 (Sat) to 2010/6/6 (Sun)

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2009/11/12

The 3rd PRESTO Meeting of the Research Area was held: 2009/11/7 (Sat) to 2009/11/8 (Sun)

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2009/11/2

The Researcher (1st Phase) Noriaki Hattori was promoted to Deputy Director of Neurorehabilitation 　Research Institute of Morinomiya Hospital: 2009/7/1 (Wed)