Allan Barrea
PhD Student
Université catholique de Louvain

With my background in robotics engineering, I am currently conducting research in the field of neuroscience to examine the sense of touch and its role in object manipulation. More precisely, I investigate the mechanical properties of the fingertips and how they influence dexterous manipulation with the precision grip, i.e. when manipulating small objects between the thumb and the index finger. The goal of this research is to better understand human ability in manipulating everyday life objects so precisely and robustly.

To address this question, I design and use robotic platforms to quantify fingertip skin deformation under different conditions and to examine precision grip control in normal gravity as well as in microgravity. I am also interested in recording tactile nervous signals elicited by mechanical events occurring at the fingertip-object interface using the technique of microneurography. Moreover, I carry out psychophysical experiments to look into how those events are perceived by human subjects.

My advisors are Prof. Ph. Lefèvre and Prof. J.-L. Thonnard. This project is supported by PRODEX (BELSPO) and ESA. I work at the Université catholique de Louvain, both in the Institute of Neuroscience (IoNS), department of Systemic & Cognitive Neuroscience and in the Institute of Information and Communication Technologies, Electronics and Applied Mathematics (ICTEAM), department of Applied Mathematics.