Dr. Andres Pena, assistant research professor at the Institute for Integrative and Innovative Research (I³R), was selected to present his poster, A Modular Interface for Sensor-Neurostimulator Integration, at the 2025 University of Minnesota Neuromodulation Symposium.
The symposium brings together engineers, neuroscientists, clinicians, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders from around the world to share research and explore cross-sector collaborations focused on advancing neuromodulation technologies for medical and therapeutic applications.
At the Institute, Dr. Pena’s work is all about connection. As a member of the Adaptive Neural Systems (ANS) Group at the Institute, he studies neuro-haptic feedback in wearable bioelectronic technology. His team has developed ExtendedTouch (xTouch), a wearable platform that enables users to interact with and feel objects in virtual reality environments without the need for hand-mounted devices which could enhance rehabilitative therapy options.
Dr. Pena’s presentation centered on an important part of this work: the Programmable Sensor Interface (PSI), a modular system designed to integrate commercial prosthetic hand sensors with neural stimulation devices. The PSI enables real-time, closed-loop control by translating mechanical sensor data into electrical signals that can stimulate the nervous system essentially “closing the loop” between sensation and movement.
This interface plays a critical role in the Neural Enabled Prosthetic Hand (NEPH) system, a project at I³R aimed at creating a more intuitive and responsive experience for individuals using advanced prosthetics. By enabling fine-tuned feedback, PSI contributes to improving user function, comfort, and long-term adoption. This kind of enhancement can transform the user experience, a key part of the project, and often a crucial consideration for bioelectronic innovators.
The modularity of the system is key: it allows researchers to swap and adapt components depending on the needs of different users or prosthetic designs. “This kind of platform is designed to evolve,” explained Dr. Pena. “We’re thinking about today’s applications and building an adaptable toolset that can grow with the field and the user base.”
This is the Institute’s broader commitment and University land-grant mission at work: enhancing health solutions and enabling unique immersive virtual experiences that break down barriers to access for care, especially for those needing rehabilitation services.
Dr. Pena explained one of the highlights of being a presenter at the Neuromodulation Symposium was getting to share the Institute’s vision with medical companies such as Medtronic and Abbott and attending sessions that ranged from deep brain and spinal cord stimulation to non-invasive techniques, brain-computer interfaces, and commercialization pathways for medical devices.
“Part of I³R’s mission is to engage deeply with sectors beyond academia—industry, healthcare, and the startup community—to accelerate how technologies like PSI can move from research to real-world impact,” he said. “This symposium was a great example of how those bridges can be built, and how our presence at them makes a big difference in the knowledge and potential collaborations we bring back to Arkansas. It strengthens our region’s health profile when we, as researchers, make these connections across the country.”