Neuromechanics and Integrative Motor Control

Organizers:

Martin Zapotocky, Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague
Taishin Nomura, Department of Mechanical Science and Bioengineering, Osaka University

Scope:

Coordinated movement arises from the interaction of the nervous system, the body, and the environment. The mutual coupling between biomechanics and neural activity has received growing attention in recent years. This has lead to computational models that successfully capture coordinated movement on the level of a whole organism – e.g., crawling, swimming, or postural control. Simultaneously, very significant advances in robotics were inspired by known neural control strategies (e.g., coupled central pattern generators). In addition, recent computational studies have demonstrated how coordinated motor behavior may self-organize from neuromechanical interactions during development. The general principles of how the organization and activity of the nervous system adapts to the mechanics of the body and environment, however, are not yet agreed on.

The workshop brings together researchers with primary background in neuroscience and bio-robotics/neuroengineering, and aims to facilitate a fruitful interaction of approaches from these two fields. The speakers study a wide range of organisms/systems, spanning insects, higher organisms, and humanoid robots. The theoretical concepts and computational methods will provide a unifying framework.

Preliminary schedule:

Abstracts:

Available after July 3.