Tuesday, July 1, 2025 7/1/2025

Visuomotor Prosthetic for Paralysis

Award Number: UG1EY032039
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL EYE INSTITUTE
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 05/01/2021
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 04/30/2026

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Visuomotor Prosthetic for Paralysis - The objective of the proposed research is to obtain scientific knowledge of visuomotor transformations in posterior parietal cortex (PPC) and primary motor cortex (M1) from tetraplegic subjects in a clinical trial to advance the development of neural prosthetics. We have shown in clinical trials conducted over the past 6 years that PPC can control neural prosthetics for assisting tetraplegic subjects. Other groups have concentrated on M1 and likewise find control for neural prosthetics. In our studies of PPC we have found that besides trajectory signals to move robotic limbs or control computer cursors, there are a plethora of visuomotor signals that represent intended movements of most of the body, movement goals, cognitive strategies, and even memory signals. Our central hypothesis is that PPC and M1 will encode visuomotor parameters in both similar and different ways, and that algorithms can be developed to leverage those signals from the two areas that are complimentary to improve prosthetic range and performance. Implants will be made in both M1 and PPC, enabling simultaneous recording in the same subjects, elevating concerns of comparing data from different labs collected in different individuals with different implants and different tasks. This central hypothesis will be tested in two broad aims, for which we have substantial preliminary data. Aim 1 will examine the control of the body by the two areas. It is hypothesized that M1 will demonstrate strong specificity for the contralateral limb (implants will be made in the hand knob) whereas PPC will code movements for most of the body and on both contra and ipsilateral sides by leveraging its partially mixed encoding of parameters (subaim 1a). Whereas M1 is hypothesized to code spatial variables exclusively during attempted or imagined actions, it is hypothesized that PPC also encodes cognitive spatial variables in task appropriate reference frames (subaim 1b). In subaim 1c we will examine how multiple body parts are combined in movement representations, hypothesizing that M1 and PPC will employ a diverse set of mechanisms including linear summation, non-linear combinations, and movement suppression expressed in different ways as a function of brain area and the specific movement set. Aim 2 will examine the temporal aspects of encoding in the two areas. In subaim 2a we will test the hypothesis that the neural dynamics during sustained periods of movement are largely unchanging in both areas. In subaim 2b we hypothesize that, during sequential movements, M1 codes only the ongoing movement whereas PPC codes both the current and subsequent movements. Finally, in subaim 2c we will examine the coding of movement speed, with the hypothesis that there are separate subspaces in both M1 and PPC for direction and speed of movement.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $651,311 )
2025	2025	CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY	1200 E CALIFORNIA BLVD	PASADENA	CA	91125	LOS ANGELES	USA	Vision Research	000	5	6/16/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$651,311
														Subtotal = $651,311

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $658,011 )
2024	2024	CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY	1200 E CALIFORNIA BLVD	PASADENA	CA	91125	LOS ANGELES	USA	Vision Research	001	4	4/22/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$658,011
2024	2023	CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY	1200 E CALIFORNIA BLVD	PASADENA	CA	91125	LOS ANGELES	USA	Vision Research	000	3	12/15/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
														Subtotal = $658,011

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $646,286 )
2023	2023	CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY	1200 E CALIFORNIA BLVD	PASADENA	CA	91125	LOS ANGELES	USA	Vision Research	000	3	5/25/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$646,286
														Subtotal = $646,286

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $736,986 )
2022	2022	CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY	1200 E CALIFORNIA BLVD	PASADENA	CA	91125	LOS ANGELES	USA	Vision Research	000	2	5/27/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$736,986
														Subtotal = $736,986

Issue Date FY: 2021 ( Subtotal = $775,886 )
2021	2021	CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY	1200 E CALIFORNIA BLVD	PASADENA	CA	91125	LOS ANGELES	USA	Vision Research	001	1	7/14/2021	NEW	$3,536
2021	2021	CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY	1200 E CALIFORNIA BLVD	PASADENA	CA	91125	LOS ANGELES	USA	Vision Research	000	1	4/30/2021	NEW	$772,350
														Subtotal = $775,886

Grand Total All Awards = $3,468,480

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Visuomotor Prosthetic for Paralysis

Award Number: UG1EY032039

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL EYE INSTITUTE

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 05/01/2021

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 04/30/2026

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