Massimo Bergamasco

Publications of Massimo Bergamasco

• Cortical source of blink-related delta oscillations and their correlation with levels of consciousness.

  Authors: Luca Bonfiglio, Umberto Olcese, Bruno Rossi, Antonio Frisoli, Pieranna Arrighi, Giovanni Greco, Simone Carozzo, Paolo Andre, Massimo Bergamasco, Maria Chiara Carboncini

  Human brain mapping. 03/2012;

  Recently, blink-related delta oscillations (delta BROs) have been observed in healthy subjects during spontaneous blinking at rest. Delta BROs have been linked with continuous gathering ofRecently, blink-related delta oscillations (delta BROs) have been observed in healthy subjects during spontaneous blinking at rest. Delta BROs have been linked with continuous gathering of information from the surrounding environment, which is classically attributed to the precuneus. Furthermore, fMRI studies have shown that precuneal activity is reduced or missing when consciousness is low or absent. We therefore hypothesized that the source of delta BROs in healthy subjects could be located in the precuneus and that delta BROs could be absent or reduced in patients with disorders of consciousness (DOC). To test these hypotheses, electroencephalographic (EEG) activity at rest was recorded in 12 healthy controls and nine patients with DOC (four vegetative states, and five minimally conscious states). Three-second-lasting EEG epochs centred on each blink instance were analyzed in both time- (BROs) and frequency domains (event-related spectral perturbation or ERSP and intertrial coherence or ITC). Cortical sources of the maximum blink-related delta power, corresponding to the positive peak of the delta BROs, were estimated by standardized Low Resolution Electromagnetic Tomography. In control subjects, as expected, the source of delta BROs was located in the precuneus, whereas in DOC patients, delta BROs were not recognizable and no precuneal localization was possible. Furthermore, we observed a direct relationship between spectral indexes and levels of cognitive functioning in all subjects participating in the study. This reinforces the hypothesis that delta BROs reflect neural processes linked with awareness of the self and of the environment. Hum Brain Mapp, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

• On the Integration of Tactile and Force Feedback

  Authors: Marco Fontana, Emanuele Ruffaldi, Fabio Salasedo, Massimo Bergamasco

  01/2012;

  ISBN: 978-953-307-897-7

• A new screw theory method for the estimation of position accuracy in spatial parallel manipulators with joint clearances

  Authors: Antonio Frisoli, Massimiliano Solazzi, Dario Pellegrinetti, Massimo Bergamasco

  Mechanism and Machine Theory. 01/2011; 46(46):1929-1949.

• Feedback, Affordances, and Accelerators for Training Sports in Virtual Environments.

  Authors: Emanuele Ruffaldi, Alessandro Filippeschi, Carlo Alberto Avizzano, Benoît G. Bardy, Daniel Gopher, Massimo Bergamasco

  Presence. 01/2011; 20:33-46.

• An online trajectory planning method for visually guided assisted reaching through a rehabilitation robot.

  Authors: Claudio Loconsole, Riccardo Bartalucci, Antonio Frisoli, Massimo Bergamasco

  IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, ICRA 2011, Shanghai, China, 9-13 May 2011; 01/2011

• The contribution of cutaneous and kinesthetic sensory modalities in haptic perception of orientation.

  Authors: Antonio Frisoli, Massimiliano Solazzi, Miriam Reiner, Massimo Bergamasco

  Brain research bulletin. 12/2010; 85(5):260-6.

  The aim of this study was to understand the integration of cutaneous and kinesthetic sensory modalities in haptic perception of shape orientation. A specific robotic apparatus was employed toThe aim of this study was to understand the integration of cutaneous and kinesthetic sensory modalities in haptic perception of shape orientation. A specific robotic apparatus was employed to simulate the exploration of virtual surfaces by active touch with two fingers, with kinesthetic only, cutaneous only and combined sensory feedback. The cutaneous feedback was capable of displaying the local surface orientation at the contact point, through a small plate indenting the fingerpad at contact. A psychophysics test was conducted with SDT methodology on 6 subjects to assess the discrimination threshold of angle perception between two parallel surfaces, with three sensory modalities and two shape sizes. Results show that the cutaneous sensor modality is not affected by size of shape, but kinesthetic performance is decreasing with smaller size. Cutaneous and kinesthetic sensory cues are integrated according to a Bayesian model, so that the combined sensory stimulation always performs better than single modalities alone.

• Capturing and Training Motor Skills

  Authors: Otniel Portillo-Rodriguez, Oscar O. Sandoval-Gonzalez, Carlo Avizzano, Emanuele Ruffaldi, Massimo Bergamasco

  02/2010;

  ISBN: 978-953-307-051-3

• Linear-quadratic-Gaussian torque control: Application to a flexible joint of a rehabilitation exoskeleton.

  Authors: Rocco Vertechy, Antonio Frisoli, Massimiliano Solazzi, Andrea Dettori, Massimo Bergamasco

  IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, ICRA 2010, Anchorage, Alaska, USA, 3-7 May 2010; 01/2010

• A Measuring Tool for Accurate Haptic Modeling in Industrial Maintenance Training.

  Authors: Paolo Tripicchio, Alessandro Filippeschi, Emanuele Ruffaldi, Franco Tecchia, Carlo Alberto Avizzano, Massimo Bergamasco

  Haptics: Generating and Perceiving Tangible Sensations, International Conference, EuroHaptics 2010, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, July 8-10, 2010. Proceedings, Part II; 01/2010

• Visualizing perspectives and trends in robotics based on patent mining.

  Authors: Emanuele Ruffaldi, Elisabetta Sani, Massimo Bergamasco

  IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, ICRA 2010, Anchorage, Alaska, USA, 3-7 May 2010; 01/2010

• Right-Arm Robotic-Aided-Therapy with the Light-Exoskeleton: A General Overview.

  Authors: Luis Ivan Lugo-Villeda, Antonio Frisoli, Edoardo Sotgiu, Giovanni Greco, Massimo Bergamasco

  Emerging Trends in Technological Innovation, First IFIP WG 5.5/SOCOLNET Doctoral Conference on Computing, Electrical and Industrial Systems, DoCEIS 2010, Costa de Caparica, Portugal, February 22-24, 2010. Proceedings; 01/2010

• Virtual hand illusion induced by visuomotor correlations.

  Authors: Maria V Sanchez-Vives, Bernhard Spanlang, Antonio Frisoli, Massimo Bergamasco, Mel Slater

  PloS one. 01/2010; 5(4):e10381.

  Our body schema gives the subjective impression of being highly stable. However, a number of easily-evoked illusions illustrate its remarkable malleability. In the rubber-hand illusion, illusoryOur body schema gives the subjective impression of being highly stable. However, a number of easily-evoked illusions illustrate its remarkable malleability. In the rubber-hand illusion, illusory ownership of a rubber-hand is evoked by synchronous visual and tactile stimulation on a visible rubber arm and on the hidden real arm. Ownership is concurrent with a proprioceptive illusion of displacement of the arm position towards the fake arm. We have previously shown that this illusion of ownership plus the proprioceptive displacement also occurs towards a virtual 3D projection of an arm when the appropriate synchronous visuotactile stimulation is provided. Our objective here was to explore whether these illusions (ownership and proprioceptive displacement) can be induced by only synchronous visuomotor stimulation, in the absence of tactile stimulation. To achieve this we used a data-glove that uses sensors transmitting the positions of fingers to a virtually projected hand in the synchronous but not in the asynchronous condition. The illusion of ownership was measured by means of questionnaires. Questions related to ownership gave significantly larger values for the synchronous than for the asynchronous condition. Proprioceptive displacement provided an objective measure of the illusion and had a median value of 3.5 cm difference between the synchronous and asynchronous conditions. In addition, the correlation between the feeling of ownership of the virtual arm and the size of the drift was significant. We conclude that synchrony between visual and proprioceptive information along with motor activity is able to induce an illusion of ownership over a virtual arm. This has implications regarding the brain mechanisms underlying body ownership as well as the use of virtual bodies in therapies and rehabilitation.

• A neuroinspired cognitive behavioral control architecture for visually driven mobile robotics

  Authors: Cornelia Beck, Umberto Olcese, Alberto Montagner, Stefan Ringbauer, Heiko Neumann, Antonio Frisoli, Rita Almeida, Massimo Bergamasco, Gustavo Deco

  Robotics and Biomimetics, 2008. ROBIO 2008. IEEE International Conference on; 03/2009

  Several studies have shown that the optic flow serves as a tool for navigation for animals. Flying insects use it to follow paths and avoid obstacles, while in primates it represents an additionalSeveral studies have shown that the optic flow serves as a tool for navigation for animals. Flying insects use it to follow paths and avoid obstacles, while in primates it represents an additional input that can improve navigational performance. A neuroinspired architecture for optic flow calculation and decision making, based on the cortical organization of the human brain, has been developed and successfully used as a novel control system for a mobile robot. Navigation in a corridor and obstacle avoidance are achieved relying only on the optic flow. Moreover, the presence of the optic flow improves the performance of the robot in target reaching and obstacle avoidance tasks in a virtual environment, affecting its trajectories as shown by experiments with human subjects.

• Virtual reality enhanced mannequin (VREM) that is well received by resuscitation experts.

  Authors: Federico Semeraro, Antonio Frisoli, Massimo Bergamasco, Erga L Cerchiari

  Resuscitation. 03/2009;

  SUMMARY: The objective of this study was to test acceptance of, and interest in, a newly developed prototype of virtual reality enhanced mannequin (VREM) on a sample of congress attendees whoSUMMARY: The objective of this study was to test acceptance of, and interest in, a newly developed prototype of virtual reality enhanced mannequin (VREM) on a sample of congress attendees who volunteered to participate in the evaluation session and to respond to a specifically designed questionnaire. METHODS: A commercial Laerdal HeartSim 4000 mannequin was developed to integrate virtual reality (VR) technologies with specially developed virtual reality software to increase the immersive perception of emergency scenarios. To evaluate the acceptance of a virtual reality enhanced mannequin (VREM), we presented it to a sample of 39 possible users. Each evaluation session involved one trainee and two instructors with a standardized procedure and scenario: the operator was invited by the instructor to wear the data-gloves and the head mounted display and was briefly introduced to the scope of the simulation. The instructor helped the operator familiarize himself with the environment. After the patient's collapse, the operator was asked to check the patient's clinical conditions and start CPR. Finally, the patient started to recover signs of circulation and the evaluation session was concluded. Each participant was then asked to respond to a questionnaire designed to explore the trainee's perception in the areas of user-friendliness, realism, and interaction/immersion. RESULTS: Overall, the evaluation of the system was very positive, as was the feeling of immersion and realism of the environment and simulation. Overall, 84.6% of the participants judged the virtual reality experience as interesting and believed that its development could be very useful for healthcare training. CONCLUSIONS: The prototype of the virtual reality enhanced mannequin was well-liked, without interfence by interaction devices, and deserves full technological development and validation in emergency medical training.

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• Robotic assisted rehabilitation in Virtual Reality with the L-EXOS.

  Authors: Antonio Frisoli, Massimo Bergamasco, Maria C. Carboncini, Bruno Rossi

  Studies in health technology and informatics. 02/2009; 145:40-54.

  This study presents the evaluation results of a clinical trial of robotic-assisted rehabilitation in Virtual Reality performed with the PERCRO L-Exos (Light-Exoskeleton) system, which is a 5-DoFThis study presents the evaluation results of a clinical trial of robotic-assisted rehabilitation in Virtual Reality performed with the PERCRO L-Exos (Light-Exoskeleton) system, which is a 5-DoF force-feedback exoskeleton for the right arm. The device has demonstrated itself suitable for robotic arm rehabilitation therapy when integrated with a Virtual Reality (VR) system. Three different schemes of therapy in VR were tested in the clinical evaluation trial, which was conducted on a group of nine chronic stroke patients at the Santa Chiara Hospital in Pisa-Italy. The results of this clinical trial, both in terms of patients performance improvements in the proposed exercises and in terms of improvements in the standard clinical scales which were used to monitor patients receovery are reported and discussed. The evaluation both pre and post-therapy was carried out with both clinical and quantitative kinesiologic measurements. Statistically significant improvements were found in terms of Fugl-Meyer scores, Ashworth scale, increments of active and passive ranges of motion of the impaired limb, and quantitative indexes, such as task time and error.

• A force-feedback exoskeleton for upper limb rehabilitation in Virtual Reality

  Authors: Antonio Frisoli, Alberto Montagner, Luigi Borelli, Fabio Salsedo, Massimo Bergamasco

  Applied Bionics and Biomechanics. 01/2009; 6(2):115-126.

• Control strategies and perception effects in co-located and large workspace dynamical encountered haptics.

  Authors: Paolo Tripicchio, Emanuele Ruffaldi, Carlo Alberto Avizzano, Massimo Bergamasco

  World Haptics 2009 - Third Joint EuroHaptics conference and Symposium on Haptic Interfaces for Virtual Environment and Teleoperator Systems, Salt Lake City, UT, USA, 18-20 March 2009; 01/2009

• Bilateral teleoperation under time-varying delay using wave variables.

  Authors: Massimo Satler, Carlo Alberto Avizzano, Antonio Frisoli, Paolo Tripicchio, Massimo Bergamasco

  2009 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems, October 11-15, 2009, St. Louis, MO, USA; 01/2009

• Vibrotactile perception assessment for a rowing training system.

  Authors: Emanuele Ruffaldi, Alessandro Filippeschi, Antonio Frisoli, Oscar O. Sandoval-Gonzalez, Carlo Alberto Avizzano, Massimo Bergamasco

  World Haptics 2009 - Third Joint EuroHaptics conference and Symposium on Haptic Interfaces for Virtual Environment and Teleoperator Systems, Salt Lake City, UT, USA, 18-20 March 2009; 01/2009

• Regressor-free force/position control of fixed-base exoskeletons for rehabilitation tasks.

  Authors: Luis Ivan Lugo-Villeda, Antonio Frisoli, Vicente Parra-Vega, Massimo Bergamasco

  2009 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems, October 11-15, 2009, St. Louis, MO, USA; 01/2009