What is Nbio?

nBio, the Biomedical Neuroengineering Research Group at UMH focuses its research interests on medical and surgical robotics, rehabilitation and assistive devices, regenerative medicine, visual neuro-prostheses, medical image, human-robot interaction, development of devices capable of two-way interaction with the nervous system (recording and stimulation), in vitro and in vivo biocompatibility studies, neuroimaging and brain plasticity.

The group is a multidisciplinary group composed of specialists in various fields such as engineering, computer science, robotics, medicine, etc. Its main aim is the design and development of devices and robotic systems that may help to improve the cognitive and communicative ability, the health and physical ability of people suffering from motor and sensory disabilities. In particular, nBio has long-term expertise in surgical robotics, rehabilitation robotics, analysis and processing of biosignals, multimodal interfaces, including brain-machine interfaces.

The research group is the coordinator of multiples European and national projects related with the development of devices capable of two-way interaction with the nervous system, rehabilitation robotics, human-machine interfaces, surgical robotics, multimodal interfaces, brain machine interfaces and control and design of robotic devices.

Where we are?

The group is located at the Miguel Hernandez University of Elche. Currently we have two facilities, one at the Vinalopo building (the Unidad de Neuroprótesis y Rehabilitación Visual) and the other at the Innova building (the Medical Robotics Unit).

Research lines

• Bio-signals and brain interfaces,
• Medical informatics,
• Opto-genetics,
• Regenerative medicine,
• Rehabilitation and assistive technologies,
• Surgical robotics and medical image,
• Visual neuro-prostheses,

and in general we work on service robotics, developing technology for helping people.

Resources and expertise

We have two main facilities; the Medical Robotics Unit Lab, that is located at the Innova Building in the Campus of Elche, and the Visual Neuroprostheses Unit Lab, that is located at the Vinalopo building, in the same campus. The Medical Robotics Unit Lab is the engineering part of the team, and all the robotic and electronic developments are made on this facility, whereas the Visual Neuroprostheses Unit Lab deals with the bioengineering part of the team, and the operation room, cells line and optical microscopes are located there.

Current equipment for research includes, among others:

• a real veterinary operation room,
• a robotic operation room with manipulator arms, surgical robots and surgical simulators,
• several robots for rehabilitation of upper arm,
• a REEM social robot,
• a robotised wheelchair with a manipulator arm,
• a dual manipulator arms with dextrous hands,
• 3D impression capacity,
• portable BMI interfaces,
• equipment for augmented reality,
• patch-clamp equipment,
• an Argos system for measurement of the rodent’s vision capability,
• optical microscopes,
• an electronic laboratory for developing our own PCB’s.

Some nBio facilities

General information