Biomedical research at URI has already led to the development of instruments that will be used to help treat debilitating medical problems.
The average human brain has somewhere in the order of 100 billion neurons that control how we speak, walk, sleep, and feel. When those neurons misfire, medical problems like seizures or Parkinson’s Disease occur. Engineers at the University of Rhode Island are applying electrical engineering expertise, signal processing and instrumentation to the analysis of electrical signals from human nerves and their work is making an impact in the field of neuroengineering research. Tapping into the human nervous system allows the creation of brain-machine interfaces that can predict seizures, control prosthetics, and diagnose diseases.
URI researchers are also exploring the role of electrical signals in other systems and using that knowledge to find cures. Kunal Mankodiya is creating wearable systems that are capable of non-invasively tracking important patient metrics. Professor Ying Sun and Adjunct Professor Jack Salisbury are using ultrasound to learn more about the causes of sleep apnea. Associate Professor Fredrick Vetter’s research is shedding new light on electrophysiology’s role in heart attacks and cardiac diseases. And Professor Samantha Meenach is developing drug delivery vehicles capable of penetrating physiological barriers like tumors, the mucus barrier of the lung or the blood-brain barrier.
Cross-Disciplinary URI Team Forms Neuro-Learning Center - A URI team featuring Engineering Professor Kunal Mankodiya will establish a Neuro-Learning Center that will include cutting-edge equipment to study the relationship between brain activity and behavior, brain mapping, and neuroplasticity.
New URI lab developing adaptive technology, secures National Science Foundation grant - Reza Abiri and Yalda Shahriari, professors in URI’s College of Engineering, are building a new robotic platform that can help post-stroke patients perform needed rehabilitation and regain motor skills in the wake of a stroke, including to reach for, grasp and hold on to that all-important cup to start the day.
- How Smart is Your T-Shirt? - By Hugh Markey One of the most popular uses for Smart Watches and other devices is cardio monitoring during exercise. Users can quickly check their pulse as they run down the road or bike around the block, giving feedback on physical stressors. But what about the rest of the time when things such as stress […]
David J. Parrillo, ’89, Inducted into National Academy of Engineering - For Dr. David J. Parrillo (’89), his recent induction into the prestigious National Academy of Engineering is as much about mentoring people as developing technically advanced products. “You have to know people and what makes them tick so they can accomplish more. That’s the piece that I love.” “URI warmly congratulates David on this well-deserved […]
Faculty
Associate Professor
Electrical, Computer and Biomedical Engineering
401.874.5368
yalda_shahriari@uri.edu
Associate Professor and Graduate Director
Mechanical, Industrial and Systems Engineering
401.874.9067
cyuan@uri.edu