How brain signals guide grip strength during simple and complex hand tasks
Influence of Task Complexity and Sensory Feedback on Cortical Control of Grasp Force
This project uses implanted brain-computer interfaces to help people with tetraplegia control grip strength during both still and moving hand/arm tasks.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11166390 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would have small electrode arrays placed in motor and somatosensory areas of the brain so researchers can read and send signals. Researchers will ask you to perform or imagine a range of hand and arm actions, from holding still to dynamic movements, while they record grip force and brain activity. The team will use a bidirectional brain-computer interface to provide sensory feedback and study how motor and somatosensory cortex communicate during different task complexities. The goal is to identify brain activity patterns that could make brain-controlled grasp feel more natural and precise.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with tetraplegia who are medically eligible for intracortical array implantation and can participate in surgery and follow-up training.
Not a fit: People without severe limb paralysis or those who cannot undergo neurosurgery are unlikely to receive direct benefits from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could enable more natural and precise brain-controlled grip for people with tetraplegia, improving ability to hold and manipulate objects.
How similar studies have performed: Previous small human studies using intracortical bidirectional BCIs have enabled reaching and basic grasp control with sensory feedback, and this work builds on those successes to focus on grip force and task context.
Where this research is happening
Pittsburgh, United States
- University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh — Pittsburgh, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Collinger, Jennifer L. — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Collinger, Jennifer L.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.