An $18.5 million grant to establish an Engineering Research Center for Sensorimotor Neural Engineering based at the University of Washington (UW) has been announced by the National Science Foundation .

Researchers will develop new technologies for amputees, for spinal cord injuries, and people with cerebral palsy, stroke, Parkinson’s disease, or age-related neurological disorders.

Scientists at the UW and partner institutions will work to perform mathematical analysis of the body’s neural signals, design and test implanted and wearable prosthetic devices, and build new robotic systems.

“The center will work on robotic devices that interact with, assist and understand the nervous system,” said director Yoky Matsuoka, a UW associate professor of computer science and engineering at UW. “It will combine advances in robotics, neuroscience, electromechanical devices, and computer science to restore or augment the body’s ability for sensation and movement.”