Center director Yoky Matsuoka (Computer Science & Engineering) and affiliated faculty member Tom Daniel (Biology). A diverse group of faculty from the UW College of Engineering, UW College of Arts and Sciences, and the UW Medical Center will be involved in the new center.

The University of Washington is establishing a new Engineering Research Center to develop the mind-machine interface. Funded by an $18.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation, the Engineering Research Center for Sensorimotor Neural Engineering brings together leaders in robotics, neuroscience, computer science, and other disciplines to advance the integration of technologies with human neural systems. The center launches in July 2011 and will be based in Russell Hall on the UW's Seattle campus.

A primary goal of the center is improving lives by restoring or augmenting the body's ability for sensation and movement. Researchers will develop new technologies for amputees, people with spinal cord injuries and people with cerebral palsy, stroke, Parkinson’s disease or age-related neurological disorders.

While the majority of funding will support undergraduate and graduate student research, the center will also work with school districts in Seattle and San Diego to develop neural robotics curriculum for middle school and high school students. Center activities will also include outreach to women, underrepresented minorities, and people with disabilities.