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Combining deep learning and primate electrophysiology to understand reach and grasp control

Jonathan Michaels, University of Western Ontario
Tuesday April 6, 12-1pm
Zoom Link: 

Abstract: Whether it’s picking up a cup or deftly slotting a key into a lock, we appear to move our arms and hands with ease. While humans do these tasks easily – we have not developed artificial systems with the same level of skill. Nonetheless, in recent years we have progressed greatly in our understanding of AI/robotics as well as the nervous system. The goal of my research is to understand how the nervous system controls our arms and hands with this incredible level of flexibility, how sensory information supports this control, and what computational principles guide the acquisition of these skills. In this talk, I will present my recent work developing neural network models of the primate grasping system to provide insight into how the brain coordinates grasping and lay out how we can use tools from AI to help understand the brain.