Group PD Dr. Martin Grunwald

The duration of a normal pregnancy approximates 40 weeks. After birth the child usually does not experience breathing dysfunctions. Pre-term infants born at as early as 25 weeks need life support measures which are provided by neonatal intensive care units. Due to the insufficient maturation of the respiratory system pre-term infants often experience respiratory dysfunctions. Apnea-periods, during which the infant ceases to breath on its own, are especially critical.​

One central characteristic of the pre-term situation is the shortage of bodily stimulation within the incubator. Neither, sufficient tactile nor vestibular stimulations are available. Existing results suggest, however, that these stimuli play an important role in brain maturation. To compensate these shortcomings and simultaneously reduce the number of apnea-periods tactile and vestibular stimulations (designed based on results of pre-studies) will be administered to the infant body. With the help of prototypical stimulation methods we want to analyze the efficiency of different stimulus intensities and frequencies. Subsequently, a certified working model will be evaluated under clinical conditions.​

Workgroup

• PD Dr. Martin Grunwald
• Dr. Stepahnie Müller
• M. Sc. Sven Martin​

Funding​

Federal Ministry of Education and Research​

​​So far it is not possible to acquire information about skin deformation characteristics at the point of contact while the fingertips explore the surface of an object or an area. The goal of the project is the development of a measuring procedure which will allow reconstructing the deformation characteristics of the fingertips during object exploration with an accuracy of 100µm.

Since mobile eye-tracking devices have been introduced it has been possible to measure the oculomotor movements of research participants without any invasive eye manipulations. Since then it is possible to follow eye trajectories, detect microsaccades and analyze frequency and duration of fixation pauses. Various life sciences have since been equipped with a method to investigate perceptual and motor processes and their relevance for attention and memory processes.

To capture haptic exploration procedures of the human hands several methods are currently available. In addition to video recording systems there are ultrasonic tracking devices and sensory gloves. However, the specificity of these systems is not sufficient. The limits of these methods are their low spatial and temporal resolution, the mechanical interference with the exploring fingers and one very fundamental shortcoming: none of the existing methods allows to capture and apprehend the proceedings at the point of touch itself - between the surface of an object and the exploring fingertip.

Goal of this interdisciplinary doctoral dissertation is to develop a Haptic-tracking-system which will capture both temporal and spatial dimensions of the exploration process of human fingers - including the proceedings at the point of contact in high resolution. The spatial accuracy of the measurement system is intended to capture tissue changes of 10µm upwards. The temporal resolution will be 1ms, since indications exist that imply exploration effects in the range of 10ms. Analogously to the Eye-Tracking-Devices the Haptic-Tracking-System shall offer the opportunity to meticulously observe and measure digital exploration processes under all circumstances. Particularly, the deformation characteristics of the physical contact areas shall be measurable without setting restrictions to the object materials.  ​

Workgroup

Partner and Funding​

Evaluation and training of haptic perception in veterinary students to improve their palpation skills​

Palpation of the animal body is an important diagnostic instrument during veterinary medical examination. Haptic perception skills are an essential part of all palpatory procedures. The present study will analyze the quality of the students’ haptic skills as well as the extent of its trainability.

Due to existing results the present study will investigate the association between the haptic perception ability of veterinary students and their palpation skills during the palpation of different veterinary simulation models. Additionally, we will investigate whether measurable perception deficits can be compensated by appropriate training measures. To assess the haptic perception ability of the students the Haptic Threshold Test and the Haptic Figures Test will be used. As veterinary models we will use equine and bovine training simulators which allow active exploration of simulated medical conditions. The goal is to measure both the students' haptic and proprioceptive perception thresholds and to assess their influence on the students' ability to master palpation tasks on the stimulators. The future value of this study will be to enhance the learning success and to adjust individual differences in learning success of veterinary students by means of a low-tech and brief training set.​

Workgroup

Partner​

Veterinär-Anatomisches Institut der Veterinärmedizinischen Fakultät der Universität Leipzig​

Neurophysiological correlates of the regulation of emotion and working memory processes through spontaneous facial self-touch gestures​

Fetuses as well as adults spontaneously touch their own face between 400 and 800 times a day. Goal of the project is to elucidate which neurophysiological mechanisms underlie this behavior.

A previous study (Grunwald et al 2014a) has shown significant changes in the brain electrical activity of theta and beta power immediately before and after spontaneous facial self-touch gestures (sFSTG). The change dynamics of the EEG parameters across the entire experiment suggested that spontaneously performed self-touch of the facial skin may modulate working memory processes and simultaneously occurring emotional processes. If, in contrast, the examiner instructed the participants to touch their face, no such pre-post EEG changes occurred. These finding are the first neurobiological evidence in support of the hypothesis that movements directed to the own body may fulfil regulatory functions. Respective research topics may provide promising insights into human behavior on the level of neurobiological foundational research as well as in clinical settings. The goals of the study under application are the following: a) elucidation of the brain electrical patterns of activation during the spontaneous facial self-touch, b) analysis of the duration and location of the sFSTG in relation to the brain electrical activity patterns before, during and after the sFSTG, c) analysis of the sFSTG characteristics (left vs. right hand; ipsilateral vs. contralateral face regions) in relation to the brain electrical activity patterns before, during and after the sFSTG, d) elucidation of the gender specific characteristics of sFSTG concerning goals (a) through (c), and e) elucidation of behavioural effects and brain electrical changes caused by preventing the participant from performing sFSTG. Altogether, 35 men and 35 women between 20 and 35 years of age will be tested with the study design of Grunwald (2014a). Spectral and Wavelet analyses will be conducted of the conventional band widths recorded with a 19 channel EEG. Movement and skin contact dynamics of the sFSTG will be registered by existing microprocessor acceleration sensors. Study is founded by DFG.

Workgroup​

Funding​