NEUCODES · Neuro-encoded electronic skin

Neuro-encoded electronic skin

The NEUCODES project aims to realise neuro-encoded electronic skin that can convert the tactile sensing signal (analogue signal) into biological spike trains. By doing so, the electronic skin will “speak the same language” as the human skin, enabling a smooth communication between the two. Such tactile signal encoding is also expected to serve as the first step towards achieving human-level tactile sensation. With hundreds of thousands of mechanoreceptors distributed all over the skin, the amount of tactile data generated in real time is significant. The highly distributed and hierarchical data handling strategy, including the sensory data encoding targeted here, serves as an effective approach in downscaling the large volume of the tactile sensory data, before they are transmitted to the next perceptual level. This will notably decrease the data latency and power consumption involved in the whole process. The project will have a notable scientific impact by advancing several relevant domains including flexible and printed electronics, neuroscience, and robotics, and foster the fusion of knowledge. The project will also have a societal impact by neuroprosthetics that restores their tactile sensation from the neurological level, greatly improving the quality of life of those patients suffering from diseases such as peripheral neuropathy. The project will also have a medium- to long-term economic impact by enabling competitive edge to European companies in the field of robotics, neuroprosthetics and flexible electronics – all of which will address a dynamic and fast-growing sector with macro-economic impact, leading to innovation-based growth. For example, neuroprosthetics market alone will reach a market of 15 billion worldwide by 2025. The demonstrated technology will potentially lead to spin-out companies and create new jobs.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union