Dr Sonja Hermann Joins Neural Engineering Group

Dr Sonja Hermann has joined the Neural Engineering Group to research into Assistive Inclusive Design for the Elderly.

Aiming to give more independence to the elderly at home/in care to an old age Dr Hermann has developed a number of designs for assistive devices and systems that have direct clinical implication in ageing. Applying and adapting non-linear methods she has a built a theoretical framework to describe natural human movement strategies for pressure relieve. An actuated bed/seat system design, which simulates the described natural pressure relief patterns to facilitate effective assisted pressure relief for the movement impaired elderly, is proposed. Having further extended the use of non-linear methods to analysis of movement video data it will provide a powerful toolset for assessment, prevention and prediction of pressure ulcers, falls and possible other health related implications. Together with the development of a wearable abdominal pressure garment for use in chronic hypotension is a portfolio of inclusive assistive technology for the elderly may be developed.

Dr David Coyle Joins Neural Engineering Group

Dr David Coyle has joined the Neural Engineering Group researching into the design technologies to support cognitive neurorehabilitation and mental healthcare. This is supported with INSPIRE IRCSET - Marie Curie International Mobility Postdoctoral Fellowship. David will send up to 2 years with the University of Cambridge as part of his research.

2009-08-28-NewGrantToTheNeuralEngGroup

The Neural Engineering grorup have been awarded a new grant from Science Foundation Ireland for the study entitled "Multisensory Integration: A high-density EEG approach using ecologically valid stimuli". This is an theoretical and experimental collaboration with Prof. Dr. Heinrich H. Bülthoff, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, in Tübingen, Germany.

Ph D Scholarship For Ms Hanni Kiiski

Ms Hanni Kiiski was recently been awarded an IRCSET PhD Scholarship for a study into cognitive impairment associated with multiple sclerosis.

Grant Awarded

The Neural Engineering Group was recently awarded a grant from Science Foundation Ireland for research into Multisensory Integration: A high-density EEG approach using ecologically valid stimuli.

Prof Richard Reilly Gives Professorial Inaugural Lecture

On 2nd February 2009, Prof Richard Reilly, Professor of Neural Engineering 2008, gave his professorial Inaugural Lecture entitled Replacement Parts for the Brain: Myth, Reality or Opportunity?

The lecture was introduced by Prof Colm O'Morain, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences and was also attended by the Dean of Engineering, Mathematics and Science, Prof Clive Williams. It took place in the PACCAR Theatre of the Science Gallery.

TCBE Christmas Symposium

On 15th December 2008, the annual Trinity Centre for Bioengineering took place in the Crossland Lecture Theatre, Parsons Building. The Symposium was opened by the Director, Prof Richard Reilly. Thirty-one TCBE postgraduate students gave presentations on their research.

There were 5 sessions - 'Neural Engineering' , 'Tissue Engineering' , 'Bone' , 'Biomechanics, Biomaterials, Cardiovascular' and 'Mechanobiology' .

Sessions were chaired by TCBE Postdocs. Two prizes were presented, the first by the Dean of Health Sciences, Prof Colm O'Morain and the second by the Dean of Engineering, Mathematics and Science, Prof Clive Williams.

Best New Presenter prize for best presentation by a postgraduate in their first year was won by Katey McKayed for her presentation entitled 'The effect of aging on mesenchymal stem cell differentiation'. The Patrick Prendergast prize for best presentation by a postgraduate student in their second, third or fourth year was won by Colin Boyle for his presentation entitled 'A simulation of tissue growth in a cardiovascular stent'. Both are PhD students of Prof Patrick Prendergast.

The TCBE Centre Profile and Annual Report 2008 was officially launched and the Faculty Deans were both presented with a copy.

The day ended with Principal Investigators giving their vision for 2009.

Website Goes Live

The website goes live in its beta format today.
It's freely available for anyone in the group to edit, and you're encouraged to do so!
If anyone has any problems, let me know (and my email is on the Intranet page if you don't have it).

Hugh