EMBRACE - tEchnology for Multimodal inter-BRain dynAmiCs invEstigation

EMBRACE is a project funded under Programme H2020-EU.1.3.3. “Stimulating innovation by means of cross-fertilization of knowledge”, funding scheme MSCA-RISE – Marie Skłodowska-Curie Research and Innovation Staff Exchange (RISE), lasting from 1 February 2021 until 31 January 2025 (https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101007521 ). Most social interactions involve interpersonal coordinated movements in real-time and real space, but research on the complex processes determining social behaviors is limited by inadequate technology and analytical tools. In EMBRACE we will merge complementary expertise and resources in biomedical engineering, material science, signal processing, neuroscience, and social psychology at 3 academic and 3 industrial partners from 3 EU countries ( Italy, Germany, and Spain ) to develop: 1) a new mobile and wireless dry electrode EEG system suitable for monitoring brain activity during full body movements; 2) novel body-network sensors and a multimodal alignment system for the simultaneous recording of neural, physiological, and kinematic signals from two interacting subjects; 3) novel analytical solutions for motion artifact removal and multi-level analysis of multimodal data; 4) a new research dyadic paradigm to exploit the technological advances. The novel technologies will address requirements of mobility, high signal quality, high temporal and spatial resolution, stable alignment of multiple signals, wearing comfort and long-term use. The novel analytical methods will permit investigating joint action at the neural, cognitive-behavioral, and social levels. Both technologies and methods will be validated in real-time and space face-to-face studies to produce prototypes and models optimized for broad application.