The aim of the project is to develop user interfaces based on touch that feel more intuitive than what is currently available in smartphones for example. The brain research contributes knowledge of how the brain preferably interacts under different touch conditions and the technology contributes by developing the interfaces.
鈥淭his gives us a further opportunity to develop our understanding of how the brain works, as active touch is a fundamental building block for the brain to learn about our perceptions of what the world around us is and what properties it have鈥, says Henrik J枚rntell, associate professor of neuroscience, who is leading the research project.
By developing technology that creates illusions of real experiences, the researchers in INTUITIVE are convinced that they will produce an excellent basis for more in-depth insights with regard to the mechanisms behind the brain鈥檚 functions 鈥 something they have been working on intensively in recent years.
鈥淓ventually, these kinds of deep insights also provide very important understanding of what exactly goes wrong in the various diseases of the brain, which can lead to dramatic improvements in possible treatments鈥, says Henrik J枚rntell.
During 2019, Henrik J枚rntell has been awarded a total of just over SEK 80 million by the EU as a coordinator for two European research projects within the framework of Horizon 2020:
- SEK 50 million for the current EU project INTUITIVE, an Innovative Training Network programme involving researchers from Sweden, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Italy, Iceland and Belgium.
- SEK 32 million for an EU project within Future Emerging Technology called 鈥鈥 involving researchers from Sweden, the United Kingdom and France.
Horizon 2020 is the EU鈥檚 framework programme for research and innovation. The programme is the world鈥檚 largest investment in research and innovation with a total budget of around EUR 80 billion.