The talk was conducted on 7 December 2020.

Abstract: Human Behaviour is the most complex phenomenon in the whole universe. In the last 10-15 years, learning from neuroscience has helped develop a better understanding of human behaviour. FinalMile Consulting, now a part of Fractal Analytics uses this new learning from neuroscience to solve some of the significant problems in business and society. Now at Fractal Analytics, a new understanding of human behaviour is emerging at the intersection of Artificial Intelligence and Human Intelligence.

The talk was conducted on 27 November 2020.

Bio: Dr Vikram Shenoy Handiru is currently an Associate Research Scientist at Kessler Foundation in New Jersey, USA. Before beginning this postdoctoral journey, he was a PhD researcher (2013-2017) at Interdisciplinary Graduate School, Nanyang Technological University, (Singapore) working on EEG-based Brain-Computer Interfaces. Dr Handiru did his Bachelor of Technology in Electronics & Communication Engineering from National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal (India) during 2009-2013. His overarching research goals are (1) to develop signal processing and machine learning algorithms to understand the brain dynamics (2) to advance the understanding of the neurophysiology of neuromuscular disorders and (3) to develop personalized therapeutic approaches for neurorehabilitation.

Abstract: Stroke is a leading cause of long-term severe impairment that affects mobility in more than half of survivors of stroke of age > 65 years. The long-term goal of rehabilitation is to improve motor functions so that the stroke survivor can become as independent as possible. In this talk, Dr Handiru will present the prospects of the neuroengineering technologies for stroke and Traumatic Brain Injury rehabilitation. Dr Handiru will begin his research talk by introducing the concept of electroencephalography (EEG)-based Brain-Computer Interface (BCI), which is the technology that allows direct communication between the brain and an external device such as a computer. Signal processing and pattern recognition constitute essential components of a BCI system wherein the signal processing algorithms are applied to the brain signals to decode mental states which are relevant for BCI operation. In this talk, the basic BCI concepts such as brain activity monitoring using EEG, feature extraction, and feature translation for BCI control are introduced. In the latter half, the research will focus on the applications of neurorehabilitative technologies such as BCI and noninvasive brain stimulation (NIBS), and stabilometry training to improve the upper- and lower-extremity motor functions in the stroke and TBI population. The talk will conclude by providing some future research directions.

The talk was conducted on 18 November 2020 by Dr Bhattacharya from Goldsmiths University of London. He covered the following in his talk:

Abstract: Decision making is an integral part of our lives; we make judgments and decisions at every step in our lives. It ranges from mundane perceptual decisions to complex cognitive ones. Traditionally it is assumed that our decision making is purely cognitive and rational, devoid of emotional influence. But recent evidence suggests that emotion and cognition are intricately related. In this talk, I will discuss and present experimental findings on how music could influence various types of judgment and decision making. Specifically, I will show how listening to brief musical excerpts could influence how we perceive faces, judge complex pictures, process words, and even judge brightness. I will argue that music, even short excerpts, can indeed influence a wide range of decision-making process, and such cross-modal transfer of musical emotions are largely implicit, i.e. occurring under our level of conscious awareness.