Emily Graczyk, PhD

Dr. Graczyk’s primary research goal is to develop neurotechnology-based approaches to study, restore, and augment somatosensation in humans. Somatosensation, including touch, pain, and proprioception, is critical for normal body movement, skilled tool use, social interaction, and emotional connection. Dr. Graczyk’s lab uses neural stimulation in the periphery, spinal cord, and cortex to investigate artificial somatosensory perception, sensory information transmission, sensorimotor learning, and holistic cognitive and emotional experiences associated with somatosensation.

Many individuals experience somatosensory deficits due to amputation, stroke, spinal cord injury, and autism, among others. By restoring somatosensation through electrical stimulation of the nervous system, we aim to increase functional capability, independence, societal integration, and quality of life for persons with deficits. Current projects include studies of peripheral nerve stimulation to provide sensory feedback from hand prostheses to persons with upper limb loss and intracortical microstimulation to provide sensory feedback to persons with high-level tetraplegia. In addition, the lab develops sensory stimulation approaches to augment the normal sensory capabilities of able-bodied individuals. The goal is to understand the extent to which augmented sensation can be perceived, utilized, and learned for future applications in virtual/mixed reality, telemedicine, and telecommunication.