Handbook of Neuroengineering

Nitish V. Thakor is the Director the Singapore Institute for Neurotechnology (SINAPSE) at the National University of Singapore, as well as Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Biomedical Engineering at NUS. He maintains his position as a Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering and Neurology at Johns Hopkins University in the USA. Dr. Thakor's technical expertise is in the field of Neuroengineering, including neural instrumentation, nuromorphic engineering, neural microsystems, optical imaging of the nervous system, neural control of prosthesis and brain machine interface and cognitive engineering. He has pioneered many technologies for brain monitoring to prosthetic arms and neuroprosthesis. He is an author of more than 290 refereed journal papers, more than a dozen patents, and co-founder of 3 companies. He is currently the Editor in Chief of Medical and Biological Engineering and Computing, and was the Editor in Chief of IEEE TNSRE from 2005-2011 and presently the EIC of Medical and Biological Engineering and Computing. Dr. Thakor is a recipient of a Research Career Development Award from the National Institutes of Health and a Presidential Young Investigator Award from the National Science Foundation, and is a Fellow of the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering, IEEE, Founding Fellow of the Biomedical Engineering Society, and Fellow of International Federation of Medical and Biological Engineering. He is a recipient of the award of Technical Excellence in Neuroengineering from IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, Distinguished Alumnus Award from Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, India, and a Centennial Medal from the University of Wisconsin School of Engineering. He has given more than 50 keynotes and plenary talks, and was the Chair of the IEEE Grand Challenges in Life Science Conference in 2013 and will chair IEEE BIOROB conference in Singapore in June 2016 and the Gordon Conference on Advanced Health Informatics in Hong Kong in July 2016 .

1. Neural Sensors and Transducers

Neural electrodes (brain, spinal cord, periphery)

Neurochemical sensors


Optogenetic interface


Tissue-engineered interfaces


Ultrasonic interface


Magnetic interface







2. Neural Circuits and Systems



Neural amplifiers




Sensing and Manipulation of Brain Neurochemistry


Neural recording and stimulation (bidirectional)


Wireless power/data or neural recording or stimulation circuits


Wireless capacitive/inductive interface


Non-electrical Optogenetic, ultrasonic, magnetic interface







3. Neural Prostheses



Neural interface and upper limb prosthesis


Neural interface and lower limb prosthesis


Motor prosthesis


Sensory prosthesis


PNS interfaces


Bidirectional Neural prosthesis






4. Brain Computer Interface and Brain Machine Interface

Brain computer interface (BCI) - noninvasive, nonivasive BCI algorithms, BCI applications


Brain machine interface (BMI) for locomotion


Brain-Computer Interfaces in Clinical Applications


BMI - sensory prosthesis


BMI - memory and learning, augmentation






5. Neuromorphic Engineering and Neurocomputing



Models of neurons, integrate and fire neurons

Spiking network, spike encoding



Neural network circuits



Neuromorphic - touch, vision, auditory



Neuromorphic locomotion (CPG)



Neural computation on neuromorphic hardware







6. Neurorehabilitation and Neurorobotics


Neuroprosthesis and functional electrical stimulation (peripheral)




Robotic assisted therapy


Telerehabilitation


Virtual reality tools


Augmentative and alternative communication


Human augmentation



7. Neuromodulation



Peripheral and visceral neuromodulation (models and systems)

Spinal cord stimulation and restoration (models and systems)


Cochlear implants


Bionic vision (retinal prosthesis)


Deep brain stimulation


Optogenetic stimulation


Functional electrical stimulation (FES)


Non-invasive brain stimulation - (TMS, TDCS, FUS)






8. Neural Signal Processing



Neural Encoding EEG signal processing and applications




Evoked potential signal processing and applications


Diagnosis and localization if epileptic events


Neuromuscular activity


Sleep analysis




9. Cognitive Engineering



Human brain mapping


EEG mapping


Networks and connectivity


Connectome analysis


Computational brain imaging (physiological networks)


Artificial intelligence







10. Neuroimaging

Brain imaging (overview) - X-ray, CT, PET


- MRI, fMRI, dtMRI


EEG mapping


MEG mapping


Neurophotonics






11. Clinical Neurotechnologies



Brain monitoring and diagnostics (EEG)

Brain monitoring and diagnostics (evoked potentials)


Brain monitoring - intensive care unit, operating room


Brain monitoring - epilepsy unit


Mobile and embedded devices


Neurosurgical technologies






12. Neurotechnologies - Industry, Intellectual Property, Regulatory, Social and Ethical Issues (TBD)



Regulatory roadmap for new neurotechnologies


Intellectual property protection


Translating into clinical and industrial outcomes


Clinical and social impact of neurotherapeutics and neuroprosthesis


Ethics of brain monitoring, stimulation, restoration, brain machine-interface






13. Clinical Neurotechnologies

Brain monitoring and diagnostics (EEG)



Brain monitoring and diagnostics (evoked potentials)



Brain monitoring - intensive care unit, operating room



Brain monitoring - epilepsy unit



Mobile and embedded devices



Neurosurgical technologies







14. Neurotechnologies - Industry, Intellectual Property, Regulatory, Social and Ethical Issues (TBD)



Regulatory roadmap for new neurotechnologies



Intellectual property protection



Translating into clinical and industrial outcomes



Clinical and social impact of neurotherapeutics and neuroprosthesis



Ethics of brain monitoring, stimulation, restoration, brain machine-interface