Papers
40
Total Citations
1,747
H-Index
19
About
Olaf Blanke is a pioneering cognitive neuroscientist whose research has fundamentally transformed our understanding of self-consciousness, bodily self-perception, and the brain mechanisms underlying first-person experience. Working at the intersection of neuroscience, robotics, and virtual reality, Blanke has built a distinguished career investigating how the brain constructs our sense of self through multisensory integration. His most celebrated work explores how the temporo-parietal cortex and related regions support self-location and first-person perspective, a paper that has garnered over 470 citations and remains a cornerstone of the field. Blanke's ingenious use of robotic technology has yielded remarkable discoveries, including the neurological induction of apparitions and presence hallucinations — findings with profound implications for understanding psychiatric disorders such as Parkinson's disease psychosis. His research on illusory body ownership and avatar self-identification has opened exciting therapeutic avenues, including pain reduction and stroke rehabilitation through neuromuscular stimulation. With multiple highly cited publications spanning neurological case studies, immersive virtual reality experiments, and brain imaging, Blanke has established himself as one of the most innovative figures in contemporary consciousness research.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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- 3Neurological and Robot-Controlled Induction of an Apparition148 citations · 2014
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- 7Voluntary self-touch increases body ownership80 citations · 2015
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