I. Memming Park, Stony Brook’s 2019 Discovery Prize winner, built his first artificial neural network when he was in middle school. That long-held interest in how the brain works influenced his award-winning research titled, “Personalized Landscape of Unconsciousness.”
Park, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurobiology & Behavior and a faculty member of the Institute for AI-Driven Discovery and Innovation, says his research, to understand the brains of coma patients using machine learning methods and neurotechnologies, stems from a spontaneous discussion with Dr. Charles Mikell, Stony Brook Medicine faculty. Mikell was already recording signals, with his own data analysis software, from human brains during surgeries he performed. A collaboration soon followed.
“We were interested in these brain implants for seizure treatments,” said Park. “They detect a certain pattern of activity in the brain and before the seizure comes, they will see it and stimulate the brain to stop the seizure.”
Recognizing the success of such devices for a variety of neurological diseases, and the fact that there’s no standard treatment for coma treatments, their attention focused on the question of whether a device implanted in a coma patient’s brain could be used to awaken them.
“I want to build a smart device, incorporating AI, to learn the optimal procedures for stimulation,” said Park. “We don’t really understand how this [a patient coming out of a coma] is happening. I’m interested in the science part of this and using our technology and machine learning to help bring this forward.”
Because each patient is different, AI and machine learning are extremely important to Park’s research. A coma patient’s brain damage, or why they’re trapped in an unconscious state and how to help them awake, will be unique to that patient. “This process cannot be done by humans; it requires finding patterns within highly complex signals,” Park said. “We are designing our own machine learning tools to extract human understandable computation that’s happening in the brain.”
Park’s Discovery Prize award of $200,000 will allow his team to take their current testing beyond simulations and in silico testing. The next stages will test their algorithms on a “mini-brain” (biological culture) or in animal studies to get ready for humans.
The ultimate goal for Park’s research is to prove that the algorithm and technology work in humans and is an effective treatment for waking up unconscious people. “It would be very nice if we could build a device that can improve a lot of people’s lives,” he said.
I dont know that I completely grasp all of this so don’t laugh at me too much…. I have been wondering about the medical field’s use of brain to brain interface with a coma patient- if it exists….that is one of the things you’re explaining sort of rights? But It sounded like you had decided that only a machine could be fine tuned or alter itself to react to different individuals (because we are all slightly different)??? So in other words humans obviously aren’t built to fluctuate like u might need a computer to in reaxtion to the patients brain activity? Is that right?I was rhinking though; dont think you could meet certain sets of criteria with a human brain to brain interface (according to each patient like a blood type or bone marrow match, etc) because wouldnt it be good for the patients brain to “hang out” with a concious brain? Ans even though the concious person wont fluctuate or stimulate specifics, they are like a constant example dor rhe coma patients brain- it would be like coming along for the ride loke trainimg wheels maybe? Is that what you think? Im not a neuroscientist or anuthing I just think this stuff is so cool. A sense of humor is so impoorotant what if you could make them laugh or entertain them. Like a mindsets where u imagine the coolest things….or special excersizes that some neuropsych makes up to exercise the brain? Would it bring on brain activity? What about dimentia patients? Maybe linking them w someone younger w full capacity woild help.( that amd pilling out the molybdenum…ha ha) I just wondered if an organic, natural pattern of axtivity from an actual ‘kindred spirit’s be sort of beneficial at training the brain? Or does it not matter? Im sorry if I am being annoyong, youve probly past this part in ypur work but I was just wondering. Oh yeah amd what if I could get another human to try to manipulate or guide the coma parients thoughts/ dreams like lucid dreams? I must have missed something….I will read it again. I have a habit of skimming and getting excited to read from other angles……Thank for helping me.