
Associate Professor Ingvars Birznieks
Fields of research: Neurobiology, Sensory Systems, Neurosciences, Sensory Processes, Perception and Performance, Peripheral Nervous System
Contact Details
Phone: +61293858311
Email: ingvars.birznieks@unsw.edu.au
Supervision
- ILP
- PHD
- Masters
- Honours
Tabs
Publications related to this Person
Book Chapters
Birznieks I, 2010, 'Neuroprosthesis - theory and praxis', in Gedrovics J; Raipulis J (ed.), Special honorary collection of articles: Scientiae et adulescentiae/For science and youth, edn. 1, RTTEMA, Riga, pp. 60 - 68
Redmond S; Birznieks I; Lovell NH; Goodwin AW, 2010, 'Classifying Torque, Normal Force and Direction Using Monkey Afferent Nerve Spike Rates', in Kappers AM; van Erp JBF; Tiest WMB; van der Helm FCT (ed.), Haptics Generating and Perceiving Tangible Sensations Part 1, edn. PART 1, Springer, Heidelberg, pp. 43 - 50, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-14064-8_7
Journal articles
Khamis H; Afzal HMN; Sanchez J; Vickery RM; Wiertlewski M; Redmond SJ; Birznieks I, 2021, 'Friction sensing mechanisms for perception and motor control: Passive touch without sliding may not provide perceivable frictional information.', J Neurophysiol, http://dx.doi.org/10.1152/jn.00504.2020
Ng KKW; Snow IN; Birznieks I; Vickery RM, 2021, 'Burst gap code predictions for tactile frequency are valid across the range of perceived frequencies attributed to two distinct tactile channels.', J Neurophysiol, http://dx.doi.org/10.1152/jn.00662.2020
Ng KKW; Olausson C; Vickery RM; Birznieks I, 2020, 'Temporal patterns in electrical nerve stimulation: Burst gap code shapes tactile frequency perception', PLoS ONE, vol. 15, pp. e0237440, http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0237440
Vickery RM; Ng KKW; Potas JR; Shivdasani MN; McIntyre S; Nagi SS; Birznieks I, 2020, 'Tapping Into the Language of Touch: Using Non-invasive Stimulation to Specify Tactile Afferent Firing Patterns', Frontiers in Neuroscience, vol. 14, http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2020.00500
Birznieks I; McIntyre S; Nilsson HM; Nagi SS; Macefield VG; Mahns DA; Vickery RM, 2019, 'Tactile sensory channels over-ruled by frequency decoding system that utilizes spike pattern regardless of receptor type', eLife, vol. 8, http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.46510
Smith LJ; Macefield VG; Birznieks I; Burton AR, 2019, 'Effects of tonic muscle pain on fusimotor control of human muscle spindles during isometric ankle dorsiflexion', Journal of Neurophysiology, vol. 121, pp. 1143 - 1149, http://dx.doi.org/10.1152/jn.00862.2018
Birznieks I; McIntyre S; Nilsson H; Nagi S; Macefield V; Mahns D; Vickery R, 2019, 'Tactile sensory channels over-ruled by frequency decoding system that utilizes spike pattern regardless of receptor type', , http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/570929
Loutit AJ; Shivdasani MN; Maddess T; Redmond SJ; Morley JW; Stuart GJ; Birznieks I; Vickery RM; Potas JR, 2019, 'Peripheral nerve activation evokes machine-learnable signals in the dorsal column nuclei', Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience, vol. 13, pp. 11, http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fnsys.2019.00011
Chen W; Khamis H; Birznieks I; Lepora NF; Redmond SJ, 2018, 'Tactile Sensors for Friction Estimation and Incipient Slip Detection - Toward Dexterous Robotic Manipulation: A Review', IEEE Sensors Journal, vol. 18, pp. 9049 - 9064, http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/JSEN.2018.2868340
Steel KA; Mudie K; Sandoval R; Anderson D; Dogramaci S; Rehmanjan M; Birznieks I, 2018, 'Can Video Self-Modeling Improve Affected Limb Reach and Grasp Ability in Stroke Patients?', Journal of Motor Behavior, vol. 50, pp. 117 - 126, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00222895.2017.1306480
Birznieks I; Vickery RM, 2017, 'Spike Timing Matters in Novel Neuronal Code Involved in Vibrotactile Frequency Perception', Current Biology, vol. 27, pp. 1485 - 1490.e2, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2017.04.011
Day J; Bent LR; Birznieks I; Macefield VG; Cresswell AG, 2017, 'Muscle spindles in human tibialis anterior encode muscle fascicle length changes', Journal of Neurophysiology, vol. 117, pp. 1489 - 1498, http://dx.doi.org/10.1152/jn.00374.2016
Birznieks I; Gerling GJ; Sergi F; Bensmaia SJ, 2016, 'Haptics in Neuroscience', IEEE Transactions on Haptics, vol. 9, pp. 443 - 445, http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/TOH.2016.2627738
Kasi P; Wright J; Khamis H; Birznieks I; Van Schaik A, 2016, 'The Bayesian decoding of force stimuli from slowly adapting type I fibers in humans', PLoS ONE, vol. 11, http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0153366
McIntyre S; Birznieks I; Vickery RM; Holcombe AO; Seizova-Cajic T, 2016, 'The tactile motion aftereffect suggests an intensive code for speed in neurons sensitive to both speed and direction of motion', Journal of Neurophysiology, vol. 115, pp. 1703 - 1712, http://dx.doi.org/10.1152/jn.00460.2015
Birznieks I; Logina I; Wasner G, 2016, 'Somatotopic mismatch of hand representation following stroke: is recovery possible?', Neurocase, vol. 22, pp. 95 - 102, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13554794.2015.1046886
Hudson KM; Condon M; Ackerley R; McGlone F; Olausson H; Macefield VG; Birznieks I, 2015, 'Effects of changing skin mechanics on the differential sensitivity to surface compliance by tactile afferents in the human finger pad', Journal of Neurophysiology, vol. 114, pp. 2249 - 2257, http://dx.doi.org/10.1152/jn.00176.2014
Nagi SS; Dunn JS; Birznieks I; Vickery RM; Mahns DA, 2015, 'The effects of preferential A- and C-fibre blocks and T-type calcium channel antagonist on detection of low-force monofilaments in healthy human participants', BMC Neuroscience, vol. 16, http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12868-015-0190-2
Khamis H; Birznieks I; Redmond SJ, 2015, 'Decoding tactile afferent activity to obtain an estimate of instantaneous force and torque applied to the fingerpad', Journal of Neurophysiology, vol. 114, pp. 474 - 484, http://dx.doi.org/10.1152/jn.00040.2015
Arabzadeh E; Clifford CWG; Harris JA; Mahns DA; Macefield VG; Birznieks I, 2014, 'Single tactile afferents outperform human subjects in a vibrotactile intensity discrimination task', Journal of Neurophysiology, vol. 112, pp. 2382 - 2387, http://dx.doi.org/10.1152/jn.00482.2014
Condon M; Birznieks I; Hudson K; Chelvanayagam DK; Mahns D; Olausson H; Macefield VG, 2014, 'Differential sensitivity to surface compliance by tactile afferents in the human finger pad', Journal of Neurophysiology, vol. 111, pp. 1308 - 1317, http://dx.doi.org/10.1152/jn.00589.2013
Fazalbhoy A; Birznieks I; Macefield VG, 2014, 'Consistent interindividual increases or decreases in muscle sympathetic nerve activity during experimental muscle pain', Experimental Brain Research, vol. 232, pp. 1309 - 1315, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00221-014-3847-7
Fazalbhoy A; Macefield VG; Birznieks I, 2013, 'Tonic muscle pain does not increase fusimotor drive to human leg muscles: Implications for chronic muscle pain', Experimental Physiology, vol. 98, pp. 1125 - 1132, http://dx.doi.org/10.1113/expphysiol.2012.071670
Birznieks I; Logina I; Wasner G, 2012, 'Somatotopic mismatch following stroke: a pathophysiological condition escaping detection.', BMJ case reports, vol. 2012
Birznieks I; Boonstra TW; Macefield VG, 2012, 'Modulation of human muscle spindle discharge by arterial pulsations - functional effects and consequences', PLoS One, vol. 7, pp. Article number e35091, http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0035091
Birznieks I; Logina I; Wasner G, 2012, 'Somatotopic mismatch following stroke: a pathophysiological condition escaping detection', BMJ Case Reports, pp. 1 - 4, http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bcr-2012-006304
Chan GSH; Fazalbhoy A; Birznieks I; Macefield VG; Middleton PM; Lovell NH, 2012, 'Spontaneous fluctuations in the peripheral photoplethysmographic waveform: Roles of arterial pressure and muscle sympathetic nerve activity', American Journal of Physiology - Heart and Circulatory Physiology, vol. 302, pp. H826 - H836, http://dx.doi.org/10.1152/ajpheart.00970.2011
Fazalbhoy A; Birznieks I; Macefield VG, 2012, 'Individual differences in the cardiovascular responses to tonic muscle pain: parallel increases or decreases in muscle sympathetic nerve activity, blood pressure and heart rate.', Experimental Physiology, vol. 97, pp. 1084 - 1092, http://dx.doi.org/10.1113/expphysiol.2012.066191
McIntyre S; Holcombe AO; Birznieks I; Seizova-Cajic T, 2012, 'Tactile motion adaptation reduces perceived speed but shows no evidence of direction sensitivity.', PLoS One, vol. 7, pp. Article numbere 45438, http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0045438
Hall S; Fazalbhoy A; Birznieks I; Macefield VG, 2012, 'Biphasic effects of tonic stimulation of muscle nociceptors on skin sympathetic nerve activity in human subjects.', Experimental Brain Research, vol. 221, pp. 107 - 114, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00221-012-3156-y
Birznieks I; Wheat HE; Redmond SJ; Salo LM; Lovell NH; Goodwin AW, 2010, 'Encoding of tangential torque in responses of tactile afferent fibres innervating the monkey's fingerpad', Journal of Physiology: London, vol. 588, pp. 1057 - 1072, http://dx.doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.2009.185314
Rajaratnam SMW; Polymeropoulos MH; Fisher DM; Roth T; Scott C; Birznieks G; Klerman EB, 2009, 'Melatonin agonist tasimelteon (VEC-162) for transient insomnia after sleep-time shift: two randomised controlled multicentre trials', LANCET, vol. 373, pp. 482 - 491, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(08)61812-7
Birznieks I; Macefield VG; Westling G; Johansson RS, 2009, 'Slowly adapting mechanoreceptors in the borders of the human fingernail encode fingertip forces', Journal of Neuroscience, vol. 29, pp. 9370 - 9379, http://dx.doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0143-09.2009
Burton AR; Birznieks I; Spaak J; Henderson L; Macefield VG, 2009, 'Effects of deep and superficial experimentally induced acute pain on skin sympathetic nerve activity in human subjects', Experimental Brain Research, vol. 195, pp. 317 - 324, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00221-009-1790-9
Burton AR; Birznieks I; Bolton PS; Henderson L; Macefield VG, 2009, 'Effects of deep and superficial experimentally induced acute pain on muscle sympathetic nerve activity in human subjects', The Journal of Physiology, vol. 587, pp. 183 - 193, http://dx.doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.2008.162230
Birznieks I; Burton AR; Macefield VG, 2008, 'The effects of experimental muscle and skin pain on the static stretch sensitivity of human muscle spindles in relaxed leg muscles', The Journal of Physiology, vol. 586, pp. 2713 - 2723, http://dx.doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.2008.151746
Johansson RS; Birznieks I, 2004, 'First spikes in ensembles of human tactile afferents code complex spatial fingertip events', Nature Neuroscience, vol. 7, pp. 170 - 177, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nn1177
Jenmalm P; Birznieks I; Goodwin AW; Johansson RS, 2003, 'Influence of object shape on responses of human tactile afferents under conditions characteristic of manipulation', European Journal of Neuroscience, vol. 18, pp. 164 - 176, http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1460-9568.2003.02721.x
Birznieks I; Jenmalm P; Goodwin AW; Johansson RS, 2001, 'Encoding of direction of fingertip forces by human tactile afferents', Journal of Neuroscience, vol. 21, pp. 8222 - 8237, http://dx.doi.org/10.1523/jneurosci.21-20-08222.2001
Birznieks I; Jenmalm P; Goodwin A; Johansson R, 1999, 'Directional encoding of fingertip force by human tactile afferents.', Acta Physiol Scand, vol. 167, pp. A24, http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-201x.1999.600ae.x
Jenmalm P; Birznieks I; Goodwin A; Johansson R, 1999, 'Differential responses in populations of fingertip tactile afferents to objects' surface curvatures.', Acta Physiol Scand, vol. 167, pp. A24 - A25, http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-201x.1999.600af.x
Birznieks I; Burstedt MKO; Edin BB; Johansson RS, 1998, 'Mechanisms for force adjustments to unpredictable frictional changes at individual digits during two-fingered manipulation', Journal of Neurophysiology, vol. 80, pp. 1989 - 2002, http://dx.doi.org/10.1152/jn.1998.80.4.1989
Burstedt GKO; Birznieks I; Edin BB; Johansson RS, 1997, 'Control of forces applied by individual fingers engaged in restraint of an active object', Journal of Neurophysiology, vol. 78, pp. 117 - 128, http://dx.doi.org/10.1152/jn.1997.78.1.117
Ng KKW; Olausson C; Vickery RM; Birznieks I, 'Temporal patterns in electrical nerve stimulation: burst gap code shapes tactile frequency perception', , http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2020.04.10.033241
Conference Papers
Ng KKW; Birznieks I; Tse ITH; Andersen J; Nilsson S; Vickery RM, 2018, 'Perceived frequency of aperiodic vibrotactile stimuli depends on temporal encoding', in Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics), pp. 199 - 208, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-93445-7_18
Birznieks I; Khamis H; Redmond SJ; Tripodi R; Linarts A; Zavickis J; Knite M, 2016, 'Design principles for building a soft, compliant, high spatial resolution tactile sensor array', in Bello F; Kajimoto H; Visell Y (eds.), Haptics: Perception, Devices, Control, and Applications: 10th International Conference, EuroHaptics 2016, London, UK, July 4-7, 2016, Proceedings, Part 2, Springer, London, UK, pp. 25 - 34, presented at EuroHaptics 2016, London, UK, 04 July 2016 - 07 July 2016, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-42324-1_3
McIntyre S; Birznieks I; Andersson R; Dicander G; Breen PP; Vickery RM, 2016, 'Temporal integration of tactile inputs from multiple sites', in Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics), SPRINGER INT PUBLISHING AG, Imperial Coll London, London, ENGLAND, pp. 204 - 213, presented at 10th International Conference on Haptics - Perception, Devices, Control, and Applications (EuroHaptics), Imperial Coll London, London, ENGLAND, 04 July 2016 - 07 July 2016, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-42321-0_19
Kasi P; Birznieks I; van Schaik A, 2015, 'A point process approach to encode tactile afferents', in Lotito J (ed.), Neural Engineering (NER), 2015 7th International IEEE/EMBS Conference on, IEEE, Montpellier, France, pp. 328 - 331, presented at 7th International IEEE/EMBS Conference on Neural Engineering (NER), Montpellier, France, 22 April 2015 - 24 April 2015, http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/NER.2015.7146626
McIntyre S; Seizova-Cajic T; Birznieks I; Holcombe AO; Vickery RM, 2014, 'Adaptation to motion presented with a tactile array', in Auvray M; Duriez C (ed.), Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics), Springer, Versailles, pp. 351 - 359, presented at Eurohaptics, Versailles, 24 - 26 June 2014, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-44193-0_44
Khamis H; Redmond S; Macefield V; Birznieks I, 2014, 'Classification of texture and frictional condition at initial contact by tactile afferent responses', in Auvray M; Duriez C (ed.), Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics), Springer, pp. 460 - 468, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-44193-0_58
Seizova-Cajic T; Bergstrom S; Karlsson K; McIntyre S; Birznieks I, 2014, 'Lateral skin stretch influences direction judgments of motion across the skin', in Auvray M; Duriez C (ed.), Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics), Springer, pp. 425 - 431, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-44193-0_53
Khamis HA; Redmond SJ; Macefield VG; Birznieks I, 2014, 'Tactile afferents encode grip safety before slip for different frictions', in Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC), 2014, Chicago, pp. 4123 - 4126, presented at 36th Annual International Conference of the IEEE, Chicago, 26 August 2014 - 30 August 2014, http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/EMBC.2014.6944531
Rager DM; Alvares D; Birznieks I; Redmond SJ; Morley JW; Lovell NH; Vickery RM, 2013, 'Generating tactile afferent stimulation patterns for slip and touch feedback in neural prosthetics', in Hirooka Y; Ide T; Kishi T; Sugimachi M (eds.), 2013 35th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC 2013), IEEE, Osaka, Japan, pp. 5922 - 5925, presented at 35th IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society Annual International Conference, Osaka, Japan, 03 July 2013 - 07 July 2013, http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/EMBC.2013.6610900
Fu J; Birznieks I; Goodwin ; Khamis H; Redmond SJ, 2012, 'Decoding tactile sensation: Multiple regression analysis of monkey fingertip afferent mechanoreceptor population responses', in Proceedings of the Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, EMBS, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., Piscataway, USA, pp. 4631 - 4634, presented at 34th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, EMBS 2012, San Diego, CA, 28 August 2012 - 01 September 2012, http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/EMBC.2012.6346999
Redmond SJ; Goodwin AW; Lovell NH; Birznieks I, 2010, 'A Comparison of Monkey Afferent Nerve Spike Rates and Spike Latencies for Classifying Torque, Normal Force and Direction', in APSIPA ASC 2010 - Asia-Pacific Signal and Information Processing Association Annual Summit and Conference, World Scientific, Singapore, pp. 720 - 724, presented at APSIPA Annual Summit and Conference, Biopolis, Singapore, 15 December 2010 - 17 December 2010, http://apsipa2010.i2r.a-star.edu.sg/v3/acceptedpapers.shtml
Birznieks I; Boonstra TW; Macefield VG, 2010, 'Physiological noise in the firing of human muscle spindle afferents', in Small D (ed.), Australian Neurosciences Society Annual Scientific Meeting 2010, ANS, Sydney, pp. 172 - 172, presented at Australian Neurosciences Society Annual Scientific Meeting 2010, Sydney, 31 January 2010 - 03 February 2010
Birznieks I; Macefield VG, 2009, 'DYNAMIC SENSITIVITY OF HUMAN MUSCLE SPINDLES TO ARTERIAL PULSATIONS DURING ACUTE MUSCLE AND SKIN PAIN', in JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGICAL SCIENCES, SPRINGER TOKYO, pp. 376 - 376, http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000271023102511&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=891bb5ab6ba270e68a29b250adbe88d1
Birznieks I; Westling G; Johansson RS; Macefield VG, 2008, 'Directional tuning of slowly-adating mechanoreceptors in the human nail bed', in Proceedings of Aust Neuroscience Society, Australian Neuroscience Society 28th Annual Meeting, Hobart, pp. 30 - 30, presented at Australian Neuroscience Society 28th Annual Meeting, Hobart, 27 January 2008 - 30 January 2008
Burton AR; Birznieks I; Macefield VG, 2008, 'Regional skin temperature as an indicator of underlying muscle perfusion', in Proceedings of Aust Neuroscience Society, Australian Neuroscience Society 28th Annual Meeting, Hobart, pp. 52 - 52, presented at Australian Neuroscience Society 28th Annual Meeting, Hobart, 27 January 2008 - 30 January 2008
Burton AR; Birznieks I; Macefield VG, 2006, 'Comparison of the sympathetic neural responses to pain originating in muscle skin in awake human subjects', in Proceedings of Aust Neuroscience Society, 26th Annual meeting of the Australian Neuroscience Society, Sydney, pp. 48 - 48, presented at 26th Annual meeting of the Australian Neuroscience Society, Sydney, 31 January 2006 - 03 February 2006
Conference Presentations
Cheung R; Walters C; Vickery R; Birznieks I; Potas J, 2019, 'What can the rat dorsal column nuclei tell us about the limits of human tactile perception?', Chicago, presented at Society for Neuroscience, Chicago, 24 October 2019
Conference Abstracts
Vickery R; Rodrigues B; Dahlman S; Schramko L; Morley J; Redmond S; Birznieks I, 2015, 'Non-invasive tactile feedback from artificial sensors using a biomimetic code', in JOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY, WILEY-BLACKWELL, Cairns, AUSTRALIA, Vol. 134, pp. 377 - 377, presented at 25th Biennial Meeting of the International-Society-for-Neurochemistry Jointly with the 13th Meeting of the Asian-Pacific-Society-for-Neurochemistry in Conjunction with the 35th Meeting of the Australasian-Neuroscience-Society, Cairns, AUSTRALIA, 23 August 2015 - 27 August 2015, http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000360206300969&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=891bb5ab6ba270e68a29b250adbe88d1
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