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Ameya C. Nanivadekar

Neural Engineer

Biography

My work focuses on studying the conscious percepts of touch and proprioception that can be elicited through electrical stimulation of the dorsal root ganglion and dorsal spinal cord for use in a potential closed loop upper/lower extremity prosthetic device. I'm particularly interested in developing novel neural interfaces with the nervous system to restore sensorimotor function lost to amputation and injury.

As a part of the Rehab Neural Engineering Labs (RNEL), I have been involved in the study design and setup for our human subject testing as well as data collection, management and analysis for these data. My research interests include neuroprosthetics, somatosensory feedback, neuropathic pain, computational modeling and big data management. My adviser is Dr. Lee Fisher (Ph.D.).

Interests

  • Neuromodulation
  • Somatosensory feedback
  • Computational modeling
  • Data management and visualization

Education

  • PhD in Bioengineering, 2020

    University of Pittsburgh

  • MSE in Bioengineering, 2013

    University of Pennsylvania

  • BSE in Bioengineering, 2012

    University of Pennsylvania

Projects

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Selectivity dashboard

Dash-Plotly based dashboard hosted on Heroku to visualize stim triggered average ENG and selectivity result

Modeling DRG stimulation

Computational model of the dorsal root ganglia to replicate the dynamics of electrical stimulation via epineural and penetrating microelectrodes.

uHaptic

A wearable for sensorizing existing prostheses.

DRG stimulation

Selective recruitment and behavioral impact of DRG stimulation.

Neuroelectric control of gastric motility

Electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve to modulate gastric function.

Sensory dashboard

Dash-Plotly based dashboard to aggregate and visualize results from human studies in real-time

Sensory restoration via SCS

Spinal root stimulation for restoration of function in upper and lower limb amputees.

RNEL Percept Mapper

Python and Kivy based touch interface for reporting location and modality of percepts evoked via spinal cord stimulation in upper or lower limb amputees

Recent Publications

Sensory restoration by epidural stimulation of the lateral spinal cord in upper-limb amputees

Restoring somatosensory feedback to people with limb amputations is crucial to improve prosthetic control. Multiple studies have …

DRG microstimulation evokes postural responses in awake, standing felines

We have demonstrated previously that microstimulation in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) can selectively evoke activity in primary …

Machine learning prediction of emesis and gastrointestinal state in ferrets

Although electrogastrography (EGG) could be a critical tool in the diagnosis of patients with gastrointestinal (GI) disease, it remains …

Selectivity of afferent microstimulation at the DRG using epineural and penetrating electrode arrays

We have shown previously that microstimulation of the lumbar dorsal root ganglia (L5-L7 DRG) using penetrating microelectrodes …

Phantom limb pain: peripheral neuromodulatory and neuroprosthetic approaches to treatment

Post-amputation phantom limb pain (PLP) is a wide-spread phenomenon that can have physical, psychological, andfunctional impacts on …

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