230 Hallowell Building
University Park, PA 16802-6804
Tel: (814) 865-5190
Fax: (814)863-0490
Email: rclement@psu.edu
My laboratory conducts research related to neural engineering and neuroprostheses. Neural engineering is the application of engineering and technology to repair, augment, or learn about neural systems, while a neuroprosthetic is an electronic device that is designed to restore/augment a specific function through a direct interface with the nervous system. Much of the research effort in our lab is focused on applications of multi-channel neural recordings to improve our understanding of how neurons in the brain interact and process information, and how these neural response patterns are linked to behavior and learning. We are also interested in extracting information from neural signals that might be used in the development of brain-machine interfaces that would allow individuals to control external devices with their brain activity. Tightly linked to these efforts is the desire to improve the neural interface through the novel applications of bioMEMS and other associated technology, as well as signal processing strategies to yield long term reliable performance.
Another area of research in our laboratory is centered on one of the most successful neuroprostheses to date, the cochlear implant. The cochlear implant is a device that is implanted in the inner ear and transforms sound into electrical impulses that stimulate the auditory nerve. While this relatively mature technology has benefited many people with sensorineural hearing loss, there is still high performance variability and much we do not know about the nature of information cochlear implant users are actually receiving. One thrust of our research efforts is to investigate the responses of many neurons simultaneously in the auditory cortex and other centers in the auditory pathway with the use of multichannel neural recording technology. We are particularly interested in stimulation parameter effects and comparing these responses with those from normal acoustic stimulation to gain insight into the fundamental differences between natural and artificial stimulation of the auditory system. In addition to this basic neuroscience research, we are engineering a new technique for objectively fitting cochlear implants based on stapedius muscle electromyogram recordings. It is hoped that this technique will eventually be incorporated into future cochlear implant designs.