“SPECS uses synthetic methods to study and synthesize the neuronal, psychological and behavioural principles underlying perception, emotion, cognition, and action.”
The Synthetic Perceptive, Emotive, and Cognitive Systems (SPECS) Laboratory aims to find a unified theory of mind and brain using synthetic and empirical methods and to apply it to quality of life-enhancing technologies. The Distributed Adaptive Control (DAC) theory has shed light on the function of several brain structures, is used to control advanced mobile and humanoid robotic systems, and has laid the foundation for a novel neurorehabilitation approach called the Rehabilitation Gaming System. SPECS explores new methods for the simulation, visualization, and exploration of complex data to support his DAC theory and advance clinical diagnostics and intervention in neuropathologies such as stroke and epilepsy. It is building up the Neuroengineering program at the Faculty of Science and Technology at Radboud University. This is linked to a larger European University Alliance initiative to build a University of Brain and Technology.
SPECS is coordinating two Horizon Europe projects: ‘’Artificial Intelligence Stroke Neurorehabilitation’’ Horizon Europe project which aims to develop trustworthy, accurate, and secure AI-enhanced technologies in health services; and the ‘’Counterfactual Assessment and Valuation for Awareness Architecture’’ Horizon Europe project which aims to create an awareness architecture and interface it to external embodied, virtual agents to act in the real world. The lab is also actively involved in other six research projects (Horizon Europe and Horizon 2020) focusing on themes that involve personalised health cognitive assistance for rehabilitation, digital twins for modelling and simulating complex phenomena at the service of research infrastructure communities, rehabilitation based on hybrid neuroprosthesis, virtualisation and multimodal exploration of heritage.
Complementary to the science, SPECS developed and deployed over 35 art installations. These include the biomimetic mixed reality space Ada experienced by over half a million visitors (2002) and, more recently, three virtual/augmented reality educational installations and applications for the Memorial Sites Bergen-Belsen (2012-), and Falstad, which is now generalized to other sites across Europe. His most recent installation is now on permanent exhibition in the entrance hall of the Faculty of Science of Radboud University: The eXperience Induction Machine.