Prof. Sliman Bensmaia, a pioneering neuroscientist and leading expert on the sense of touch, died on Aug. 11. He was 49 years old.
Bensmaia, the James and Karen Frank Family Professor of Organismal Biology and Anatomy at the University of Chicago, explored how sensory information about touch, texture, and the shape of objects is represented in the nervous system and brain, which in turn generates human perception of the world. He then used these discoveries to help develop prosthetic limbs that can restore a realistic sense of touch to amputees and paralyzed patients.
His lab generated algorithms for brain computer interfaces (BCI) that convert the output of sensors on bionic hands into patterns of stimulation that can be transmitted through electrodes implanted in the brain. Using what he called a “biomimetic” approach, he and his team sought to mimic the biological processes underlying how the nervous system communicates signals from the arms and hands to create natural-feeling sensations of touch and give bionic limbs greater dexterity.
“Sliman was a driving force and real inspiration to others,” said Michael Coates, PhD, Professor and Chair of the Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy. “His research group was thriving in a phenomenal way, absolutely bursting at the seams with talented students and postdocs working on fundamental science for wonderfully thoughtful and constructive projects. While his work was intrinsically fascinating, he was just as thoughtful, sincere, and conscientious about supporting everyone around him.”
Bensmaia was a longtime resident of Hyde Park in Chicago. He is survived by his wife, Kerry Ledoux, an Associate Instructional Professor in Psychology and the College at UChicago; and their two children.
Funeral and memorial service details are pending.