BrainMap

Mr. Vasile Manta

PhD

Professor - UNIVERSITATEA TEHNICĂ "GHEORGHE ASACHI" IAŞI

Teaching staff | PhD supervisor

I received the Electrical engineering degree in 1986, the Diploma in physics in 1993 and PhD degree in 1998. Since 1989, I have been employed at the Technical University of Iasi where I completed all the academic levels, becoming a professor in 2006 and PhD supervisor in 2007. Until now, I have coordinated 20 PhD theses validated by the ministry and three of them were joint doctoral agreements, two with the Technical University of Vienna and one with the University of Eastern Finland. Since 2012 I am member of the CNATDCU, commission “Computers, Information Technology and Systems Engineering”. Since 2022 I am associated member of the Romanian Academy of Technical Sciences, section Information and Communication Technology – Computers and Telecommunications and after 2024 I am a corresponding member. My research of interest includes: computer vision, quantum computing, image processing, artificial intelligence, neural networks. I am author or coauthor of more than 175 papers published.

Web of Science ResearcherID: https://www.webofscience.com/wos/author/record/C-4254-2011

Curriculum Vitae (02/05/2024)

Expertise & keywords

Romanian National Quantum Communication Infrastructure Call name:
101091562 2023 - 2025

Role in this project: Partner team leader

Coordinating institution: UNIVERSITATEA POLITEHNICA DIN BUCURESTI

Project partners: UNIVERSITATEA POLITEHNICA DIN BUCURESTI (); INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE DEZVOLTARE PENTRU FIZICA LASERILOR, PLASMEI SI RADIATIEI - INFLPR RA ()

Affiliation: UNIVERSITATEA POLITEHNICA DIN BUCURESTI ()

Project website:

Abstract:

RoNaQCI proposes the deployment of a 1500km+ QCI network including 6 metropolitan networks in the cities of Bucharest, Iasi, Cluj-Napoca, Timisoara, Craiova and Constanta, with 36 QKD links spanning Romania and connecting 10 universities, 5 research institutes, 5 public bodies, 3 data centers and a medical clinic, and with future links planned for quantum Internet interconnecting with neighbors.

Natural sense of vision through acoustics and haptics Call name: EC - H2020
H2020-194085-643636 2015 - 2017

Role in this project: Partner team leader

Coordinating institution: HASKOLI ISLANDS

Project partners: HASKOLI ISLANDS (IS); UNIVERSITATEA TEHNICA GHEORGHE ASACHI DIN IASI (RO); FUNDACJA INSTYTUT ROZWOJU REGIONALNEGO (PL); BJONUSTU-OG BEKKINGARMIOSTOO FYRIRBLINDA SJONSKERTA OG DAUFBLINDA EINSTAKLINGA (IS); SZECHENYI ISTVAN UNIVERSITY (HU); INFO WORLD SRL (RO); UNIVERSITATEA POLITEHNICA DIN BUCURESTI (RO); POLITECHNIKA LODZKA (PL); ISTITUTO PER L'INTERSCAMBIO SCIENTIFICO (IT)

Affiliation: UNIVERSITATEA TEHNICA GHEORGHE ASACHI DIN IASI (RO)

Project website: http://www.soundofvision.net

Abstract:

Virtual Therapist with Augmented Feedback for Neuromotor Recovery Call name: Joint Applied Research Projects - PCCA 2013 - call
PN-II-PT-PCCA-2013-4-1580 2014 - 2017

Role in this project: Key expert

Coordinating institution: UNIVERSITATEA POLITEHNICA DIN BUCURESTI

Project partners: UNIVERSITATEA POLITEHNICA DIN BUCURESTI (RO); INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE NEUROLOGIE SI BOLI NEUROVASCULARE (RO); INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE RECUPERARE, MEDICINA FIZICA SI BALNEOCLIMATOLOGIE (RO); UNIVERSITATEA TEHNICĂ "GHEORGHE ASACHI" IAŞI (RO); OSF GLOBAL SERVICES SRL (RO)

Affiliation: UNIVERSITATEA TEHNICĂ "GHEORGHE ASACHI" IAŞI (RO)

Project website: http://travee.upb.ro

Abstract:

TRAVEE (Virtual Therapist with Augmented Feedback for Neuromotor Recovery) will design, implement and validate an original and affordable IT system for recovery of patients with neuromotor impairments following strokes, traumas or brain surgery.

Stroke is the leading cause of long term disability in modern societies, with huge economical and social implications. Growing life expectancy accentuates the issues, leading to impossibility of decent care and rehab based only on human therapists. In this context, IT care and recovery solutions are of utmost importance for core functioning of modern societies.

TRAVEE relies on a brand new idea - recovery through augmented feedback - that creates new, distinct possibilities to overcome block stages typical to early recovery.

Neuromotor recovery relies on neuroplasticity (generic term covering various adaptive modifications of the cortex). The causal chain specific to recovery includes:

- motor act is performed or attempted, by the patient, with or without external help;

- patient observes sensations and results (visually, haptic or proprioceptive);

- patient's cortex associate the motor act with the observations and gradually learns and perfects the motor act.

Most techniques and systems for neuromotor recovery only pay attention to the motor act performance, neglecting the essentiality of observation. We consider that their limited success is due exactly to this conceptual simplification. TRAVEE brings a solution to handle the whole recovery causal chain, in a unified way. Its implementation will improve the number of recovery cases, the average recovery degrees and time, with major socio-economic impact.

To harness the potential of this idea, TRAVEE will employ modern technologies: virtual reality, robotics, BCI, EMG, FES, telemedicine, etc.

A patient's 3D virtual body model (VBM) will aggregate data from sensors for position, movement, central & peripheral nervous activity. VBM will be updated in real time and rendered to the patient on a screen or video glasses.

A therapy session consists in a task being given to the patient, his attempts to perform it and assistance from the system in various ways (augmented feedback, robotic support, functional electric stimulation, etc.) - based on a preconfigured program or under direct therapist's control.

Unlike robotics or FES, which are encountered in many approaches, feedback augmentation is an innovative feature of TRAVEE, consisting in its capacity to alter the representation of the VBM to allow the observation of modifications otherwise unobservable by the patient (e.g. very small moves can be represented enlarged to a degree that makes them perceivable by the patient; detected failed intentions of movement can be represented as small moves). In this way, the causal loop can be closed, avoiding blocking of recovery.

TRAVEE will develop also innovative methods for communicating with the target patients, one being its presentation as a virtual therapist, a concept new in this field, backed up by the medical specialists from the consortium, attractive and stimulating for the patients.

This project will develop a fully functional prototype and a library of training programs dedicated to early stages of recovery and validate them on a large number of patients. The prototype with the library will be submitted to the procedure for medical certification and subsequently commercialized as a package including hardware, software and medical procedures.

TRAVEE will embody in an affordable system, easy to install and use - in dedicated facilities or at homes (independent or through telemedicine).

The Consortium has a multi-disciplinary structure, with all essential complementary competencies required for the conception and development of TRAVEE as IT, medical and commercial system. TRAVEE is an original concept, with potential to turn into an affordable product improving neuromotor rehab, with exceptional socio-economic impact.

FILE DESCRIPTION	DOCUMENT
List of research grants as project coordinator	Download (7.98 kb) 15/04/2016
List of research grants as partner team leader	Download (8.18 kb) 15/04/2016
List of research grants as project coordinator or partner team leader
Significant R&D projects for enterprises, as project manager
R&D activities in enterprises
Peer-review activity for international programs/projects