Niels Birbaumer receives honorary doctorate of the Complutense University, Madrid

Niels Birbaumer, psychologist, director of the Institute of Medical Psychology & Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, scholar of the Deutsche Akademie der Naturforscher “Leopoldina” and principal investigator in the Bernstein Focus Neurotechnology Freiburg-Tübingen, was awarded an honorary doctorate from the Complutense University in Madrid on Friday, January 27, 2012. José Javier Campos Bueno, Professor of Psychology, delivered the laudatio in a ceremony presided by Rector José Carrillo.

An internationally renowned figure in psychology, Niels Birbaumer is a pioneer in the development of Brain Computer Interface systems for clinical applications. These neuroprostheses allow users to interact with their environment using only their brain activity, without the intervention of the muscular or peripheral nervous system. Among other clinical applications, this has allowed people with cerebral palsy to break the silence after years of isolation and write to their families. Birbaumer’s research in neuro-rehabilitation has opened a special field in other areas such as bioethics, treatment of hyperactive children and even in game development controlled by brain activity.

Niels Birbaumer has been visiting professor at the Complutense University, through Santander Group's program.

(Adapted from UCM’s press release, translation by Alejandro Bujan) 

Link:
Press release (in Spanish) of the Complutense University, Madrid