Neural engineering

Neural engineering is a discipline that uses engineering techniques to understand, repair, replace, enhance, or exploit the properties of neural systems. Neural engineers are uniquely qualified to solve design problems at the interface of living neural tissue and non-living constructs.

Overview
This branch of bioengineering draws on the fields of computational neuroscience, experimental neuroscience, clinical neurology, electrical engineering and signal processing of living neural tissue, and encompasses elements from robotics, cybernetics, computer engineering, neural tissue engineering, materials science, and nanotechnology.

Prominent goals in the field include restoration and augmentation of human function via direct interactions between the nervous system and artificial devices.

Much current research is focused on understanding the coding and processing of information in the sensory and motor systems, quantifying how this processing is altered in the pathological state, and how it can be manipulated through interactions with artificial devices including brain-computer interfaces and neuroprosthetics.

Other research concentrates more on investigation by experimentation, including the use of neural implants connected with external technology.

The scope of the field is broad and includes specific areas such as brain-computer interface, neural interfacing, neurotechnology, neuroelectronics, neuromodulation, neuroprosthesics, neural control, neurorehabilitation, neurodiagnostics, neurotherapeutics, neuromechanical systems, neurorobotics, neuroinformatics, neuroimaging, neural circuitry (both artificial and biological), neuromorphic engineering, neural tissue regeneration, neural signal processing, theoretical neuroscience, computational neuroscience, systems neuroscience and translational neuroscience.

History
As neural engineering is a relatively new field, information and research relating to it is comparatively limited, although this is changing rapidly. The first journal specifically devoted to neural engineering started in 2004: The Journal of Neural Engineering, and the first international conference on neural engineering was held in Capri, Italy, in 2003. The 3rd one was held from 2 May until 5 May 2007 in Hawaii.

Related Journals

 * IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering
 * IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering
 * The Journal of Neural Engineering

Related References

 * Neuroengineering (2007)
 * Neural Engineering (Bioelectric Engineering) (2005)
 * Operative Neuromodulation: Volume 1: Functional Neuroprosthetic Surgery. An Introduction (2007)
 * Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson's Disease (2007)
 * Handbook of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery  (2003)
 * Neural Prostheses: Fundamental Studies (1990)
 * IEEE Handbook of Neural Engineering (2007)
 * Foundations on Cellular Neurophysiology (1995)

Related Conferences

 * 1st International Conference on Neural Engineering, 2003
 * 2nd International Conference on Neural Engineering, 2005
 * 3rd International Conference on Neural Engineering, 2007 (old link?)