BRAIN Group


Transversal Group Overview

BRAIN (Biomedical Research And INnovation) is a transversal, pluridisciplinary R&D group that has its main focus on two areas: NeuroEngineering and Advanced Human Sensing, crossing all the areas of C-BER and interacting with other INESC-TEC centres.

The group is headed by João Paulo Cunha, PhD

Neuroengineering

This area integrates the NeuroEngineering Lab of C-BER.

Within the NeuroEngineering scope, the group has been active in movement disorders diagnosis and therapy systems, advanced neuroimaging and computer-aided neuro-surgery.

Key papers:

Moreira da Silva, N., Ahmadi, S. A., Tafula, S. N., Cunha, J. P. S., Bötzel, K., Vollmar, C., & Rozanski, V. E. (2017). A diffusion-based connectivity map of the GPi for optimised stereotactic targeting in DBS. NeuroImage, 144, 83-91. [h5-index:122-#4 Neurology; ISI impact factor (2014): 6.357]

Rozanski, V. E., Moreira da Silva, N., Ahmadi, S. A., Mehrkens, J., da Silva Cunha, J., Houde, J. C., … & Descoteaux, M. (2016). The role of the pallidothalamic fibre tracts in deep brain stimulation for dystonia – A diffusion-based connectivity map of the GPi for optimised stereotactic targeting in DBS. Human Brain Mapping. [ISI impact factor (2014): 5.969]

Cunha JPS, Choupina HMP, Rocha AP, Fernandes JM, Achilles F, Loesch AM, et al. (2016) NeuroKinect: A Novel Low-Cost 3Dvideo-EEG System for Epileptic Seizure Motion Quantification. PLoS ONE 11(1): e0145669. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0145669 [h5-index:161-#4 Life Sciences&Earth Sciences; ISI impact factor (2014): 3.234] (link)

Rozanski V, Vollmar C, Cunha JPS, Tafula S, Ahmadi SA, et al. (2014) Connectivity patterns of pallidal DBS electrodes in focal dystonia: a diffusion tensor tractography study. Neuroimage 84: 435-442. [h5-index:122-#4 Neurology; ISI impact factor (2014): 6.357] (link)

Peters AS, Rémi J, Vollmar C, Gonzalez-Victores J, Cunha JPS, et al. (2011) Dysprosody during Epileptic Seizures Lateralizes to the Non-Dominant Hemisphere. Neurology 77: 1482-1486. [h5-index:109-#7 Neurology; ISI impact factor (2014): 8.166] (link)

Cunha JPS, Rémi J, Vollmar C, Fernandes JM, Gonzalez-Vitores JA, et al. (2013) Upper limb automatisms differ quantitatively in temporal and frontal lobe epilepsies. Epilepsy & Behavior 27: 404-408. [h5-index:37; ISI impact factor (2014): 2.257 (link)

Cunha JPS, Bento V, Paula LM, Dias E, Bilgin C, et al. (2012) Movement quantification in epileptic seizures: A feasibility study for a new 3D approach. Medical Engineering & Physics 34: 938-945. [h5-index:37-#12 Biomedical Tech; ISI impact factor (2014):1.825] (link)

Advanced Human Sensing

The Advanced Human Sensing area contains several lines of research in wearable, mobile and intra-body monitoring and other human sensing technologies for different applications, such as: Telemedicine and Health, Quantified Self (QSelf), human factors in intelligent transportation systems and in mobile and interactive media. We are following a Macro-to-Nano long term strategy where we aim at ever miniaturise human sensing devices for different applications.

BRAIN is actively participating in the “Center of Competence for Future Cities” of UPorto through this human sensing wearable and mobile technologies area.

The group hosts the first “QuantifiedSelf” movement Meet-Up group in Portugal, created in December 2013. Visit the QSelf@Porto website to join the informal group or know about our activities.
Key papers:

Rodrigues J, Kaiseler M, Aguiar A, Cunha JPS, Barros J (2015) A Mobile Sensing Approach to Stress Detection and Memory Activation for Public Bus Drivers. IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Transportation Systems vol. 16(6), pp. 3294 – 3303. [h5-index:51-#2 Transportations; ISI impact factor (2014): 2.377] (link)

Brás S, Fernandes JM, Cunha JPS (2013) “ECG delineation and morphological analysis for firefighters tasks differentiation”, 26th IEEE International Symposium on Computer-Based Medical Systems (CBMS 2013). Porto, Portugal. (link)

Cunha JPS (2012) “pHealth and Wearable Technologies: a permanent challenge”, in: Blobel B, Pharow P, Sousa F, editors. Studies in Health Technology and Informatics: pHealth 2012, Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Wearable Micro and Nano Technologies for Personalized Health. Amsterdam: IOS Press. pp. 185-195. (link)