The University of the Balearic Islands and Naxon Labs agree to collaborate to develop programs, exchange and cooperation in teaching and research, particularly in the development of applied neurotechnology products.

The Rector of the University of the Balearic Islands Jaume Carot Giner and the CEO of Naxon Labs Leandro Castelluccio, have formalized a collaboration agreement to develop joint study, exchange and cooperation programs in the field of teaching, student training and research, in particular, the development of applied neurotechnology products, software integration, testing and proof of concept, communication of results, dissemination and promotion activities.

The agreement was approved by the Board of Directors on June 8, 2022 and ratified by the Governing Council on June 15, 2022, in accordance with the provisions of articles 24.2.24 and 147.2 of the University Statutes of the Balearic Islands, approved by Decree 64/2010, of May 14 (BOIB no. 76, of May 22).

Through this agreement, research and transfer collaborations will be deepened, such as those that began in 2020 with professors and students of the Escola Politècnica Superior. Dr. Francisco José Perales and Dr. Jose Maria Buades lead a DMI innovation (UJVIA) and research (UGIVIA) team at the Universitat de les Illes Balears (UIB) with many initiatives in brain-computer interfaces and virtual and augmented reality and artificial intelligence. Several projects have been developed where technology is normally applied to therapeutic cases. They have used these technologies with children with cerebral palsy, autism, ADHD, among others, and in two national projects to help older people through social robots (Pergamex) and Explainable Artificial Intelligence (Explaining).

The team of researchers and students created a software application for the modulation of emotional states with binaural waves and neurofeedback techniques, combining Virtual Reality and EEG (electroencephalography) technologies, adding visual and binaural auditory stimuli. In this initiative, the Naxon Explorer product was used and integrations were made through the Naxon Explorer API.

One of the virtual reality applications was intended to assess the emotional state of the person and modulate it, for example, to control chronic pain. To do this, the team uses physiological parameters (such as heart rate, skin conductivity, and EEG frequency band variations). The team used EEG to address the challenges of wearing a virtual reality binaural beats headset with an EEG headset with the Naxon Explorer API.

These developments are based on group research such as the work: "Evaluation of a virtual reality system for pain management through binaural acoustic stimulation" developed by Francisco J. Perales, Laia Riera, Silvia Ramis and Alejandro Guerrero.