University of Chicago · BiologyThe Neural Interface Lab
Nicholas G Hatsopoulos · Chicago, Illinois
Research Focus
Dr. Nicholas G. Hatsopoulos leads a research lab at the University of Chicago focused on enhancing brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) to enable more dexterous control of robotic prosthetic limbs. The lab investigates how the brain encodes both hand movements and the forces exerted during tasks like grasping and transporting objects. By studying neural signals in the motor and somatosensory cortices, the team aims to develop advanced algorithms that improve the performance and feedback of brain-controlled prosthetics.
brain-computer interfacesprostheticsmotor cortexsomatosensory cortexneural encodingdexterous controltactile feedbackprehensile behavioractive touchbionic hands
Research Aims
5AIM 01Investigate how motor and sensory cortices represent hand movements and forces during reaching and grasping tasks.
AIM 02Characterize the neural signals associated with prehensile behaviors in non-human primates.
AIM 03Develop advanced algorithms for decoding intended limb movements based on neural signals.
AIM 04Create sensory encoding algorithms to improve tactile feedback in brain-controlled prosthetics.
AIM 05Test new decoders and sensory feedback methods in human clinical trials.
Skills the Lab Values
intracortical microstimulationneural decoding techniquesbehavioral analysiskinematic measurementsforce measurementdata analysis in MATLAB3D motion captureanimal handlingbiomimetic design methodsclinical trial methods
Output against the department
Publications209top 31% of dept.320th of 1,033
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations11ktop 34% of dept.350th of 1,033
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.