Wolfram Burgard and Rajesh Rao are witnessing a demonstration of the OpenSource Interface OpenBCI, which one can use, for instance, to give presentations. Photo: Eric Chudler
Having already been in contact over student exchanges and joint projects for some time, BrainLinks-BrainTools cluster speaker Prof. Dr. Wolfram Burgard visited Seattle’s Center for Sensimotor Neural Engineering (CSNE) in the beginning of April.
The CSNE was installed as one of twenty US engineering research facilities by the prestigious governmental National Science Foundation, has similar aims to those of BrainLinks-BrainTools and therefore makes the ideal partner. Burgard found himself in illustrious company: The invitation came from Scientific Director Rajesh Rao, who like Burgard is internationally known for his achievements in the field of robotics and who, by the way, engages himself in the decryption of the ancient Indus script (see his TED talk on the topic); and Executive Director Eric Chudler, who, as a Neurotechnician, explores medicinal herbs as well as he is interested in activities taking place in the Basal ganglia.
The trio talked about their plans to further extend the cooperation between the two places of research. In addition to the existing exchange program a joint workshop and the consolidation of the mutual work in publications were on the agenda. Particular new projects will also result. Devices that have been invented together with the Americans could possibly soon find their way into the Freiburg labs.