My research focuses on the development and clinical assessment of neural interfaces and stimulation approaches to restore and enhance somatosensory function.
The primary goal of my research program is to develop and implement technology to restore and enhance somatosensory function for people with sensory impairments due to limb amputation or spinal cord injury. My research focuses on somatosensation in the hand and arm, including touch, proprioception, affective (social) touch, and pain. My studies aim to better understand the perception, processing, integration, and learning of sensation. We also examine the functional and psychological impacts of sensory neuroprostheses and other types of neurotechnology. My lab conducts clinical studies involving neural stimulation, neurophysiological recording, computational modeling, psychometrics, behavioral assessments, and qualitative analyses. I have received funding from the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency for my research projects.
Publications (Select)
Entire publication list can be found here.
1: Segil JL, Cuberovic I, Graczyk EL, Weir RFF, Tyler D. Combination of
Simultaneous Artificial Sensory Percepts to Identify Prosthetic Hand Postures: A
Case Study. Sci Rep. 2020 Apr 20;10(1):6576. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-62970-4.
PubMed PMID: 32313060; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7171192.
2: Ereifej ES, Shell CE, Schofield JS, Charkhkar H, Cuberovic I, Dorval AD,
Graczyk EL, Kozai TDY, Otto KJ, Tyler DJ, Welle CG, Widge AS, Zariffa J, Moritz
CT, Bourbeau DJ, Marasco PD. Neural engineering: the process, applications, and
its role in the future of medicine. J Neural Eng. 2019 Nov 12;16(6):063002. doi:
10.1088/1741-2552/ab4869. PubMed PMID: 31557730.
3: Cuberovic I, Gill A, Resnik LJ, Tyler DJ, Graczyk EL. Learning of Artificial
Sensation Through Long-Term Home Use of a Sensory-Enabled Prosthesis. Front
Neurosci. 2019 Aug 21;13:853. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2019.00853. eCollection 2019.
PubMed PMID: 31496931; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6712074.
4: Christie BP, Graczyk EL, Charkhkar H, Tyler DJ, Triolo RJ. Visuotactile
synchrony of stimulation-induced sensation and natural somatosensation. J Neural
Eng. 2019 Jun;16(3):036025. doi: 10.1088/1741-2552/ab154c. Epub 2019 Apr 2.
PubMed PMID: 30939464.
5: Graczyk EL, Gill A, Tyler DJ, Resnik LJ. The benefits of sensation on the
experience of a hand: A qualitative case series. PLoS One. 2019 Jan
31;14(1):e0211469. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0211469. eCollection 2019. PubMed
PMID: 30703163; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6355013.
6: Schiefer MA, Graczyk EL, Sidik SM, Tan DW, Tyler DJ. Artificial tactile and
proprioceptive feedback improves performance and confidence on object
identification tasks. PLoS One. 2018 Dec 5;13(12):e0207659. doi:
10.1371/journal.pone.0207659. eCollection 2018. PubMed PMID: 30517154; PubMed
Central PMCID: PMC6281191.
7: Graczyk EL, Delhaye BP, Schiefer MA, Bensmaia SJ, Tyler DJ. Sensory adaptation
to electrical stimulation of the somatosensory nerves. J Neural Eng. 2018
Aug;15(4):046002. doi: 10.1088/1741-2552/aab790. Epub 2018 Mar 19. PubMed PMID:
29551756; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6034502.
8: Graczyk EL, Resnik L, Schiefer MA, Schmitt MS, Tyler DJ. Home Use of a
Neural-connected Sensory Prosthesis Provides the Functional and Psychosocial
Experience of Having a Hand Again. Sci Rep. 2018 Jun 29;8(1):9866. doi:
10.1038/s41598-018-26952-x. PubMed PMID: 29959334; PubMed Central PMCID:
PMC6026118.
9: Graczyk EL, Schiefer MA, Saal HP, Delhaye BP, Bensmaia SJ, Tyler DJ. The
neural basis of perceived intensity in natural and artificial touch. Sci Transl
Med. 2016 Oct 26;8(362):362ra142. PubMed PMID: 27797958; PubMed Central PMCID:
PMC5713478.
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Investigator
Cleveland FES Center
Assistant Professor
Dept. of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University
Biomedical Engineer
Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center
CONTACT INFORMATION
Program Contact
Emily Graczyk
Contact Number
(216) 368-5182
Contact Email
emily.graczyk@case.edu