August 8, 2008. The European Research Council has awarded a three-year grant of 1.2 million Euro to the "Bi-directional Cortical Communication Interface" research project headed by Wolfgang Rosenstiel. The aim of the project is to improve direct communication between the brain and an assistive computer system.
The research group of Prof. Wolfgang Rosenstiel will join forces with Prof. Niels Birbaumer, Institute of Medical Psychology and PD Alireza Gharabaghi (Tübingen University clinic for neurosurgery) to improve direct brain-computer communication within the BCCI project. The direction of information flow has traditionally been from the brain to the computer, and vice-versa only in the case of visual, auditory or tactile feedback. Information flow from the computer directly to the brain, via intelligent electrical stimulation, will be the main focus of research and is expected to improve the quality of communication. Stroke and ALS patients are targeted as beneficiaries of the new methods being developed.
In connection with the grant, a postdoc research position (german TV-L E13 salary) is vacant at the Department of Computer Engineering, Faculty of Information and Cognitive Sciences, University of Tübingen. Applications by suitably qualified PhD candidates are also welcome.