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Neurobotics Research

Neurobotics is an exciting new field of science that combines neuroscience and robotics, and is closely related to artificial intelligence. One of its goals is to create prosthetic limbs that work as naturally as real limbs and that are controlled by brain power alone. The current Future Talk features an interview with Yoky Matsuoka, a leader in the field. Yoky was founder and director of the Neurobotics Laboratory at the University of Washington, and is currently vice president of technology at a company called Nest. She’s won numerous awards,

Yoky with prosthetic arm

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including a MacArthur Foundation Genius Grant, and the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers given by the President of the United States. She also has her own nonprofit foundation called YokyWorks whose mission is to develop ingenious engineering solutions that allow people to overcome their physical or sensory limitations. Yoky has been profiled on PBS’s NOVA and has a PhD in electrical engineering and computer science from MIT. Born in Japan, she once aspired to be a champion tennis player. A series of injuries ended her tennis career, but got her thinking deeply about the mind-body connection, which eventually led to her career in science. She’s quite an interesting person and well worth listening to.    

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Below are pictures from some of our other episodes. Click on a picture to see the show. For a full list of shows, click on the Program List button above.

#29 Mysteries of the Universe

#28 The Overconnected Society

#26 The Future of Robotics

#24 The Future of Energy

#23 The SETI Institute

#21 CliniSpace Virtual Hospital