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Türkiye’s Neuroscience and Neurotechnology Center of Excellence, NOROM, has been accepted into NATO’s Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic, or DIANA, test network, Türkiye’s Council of Higher Education said.
NOROM became the first and only test center from Türkiye admitted to the network in the fields of neuroscience and neurotechnology.
Established through cooperation between Gazi University, Ankara University and Middle East Technical University, NOROM is Türkiye’s first neuroscience center operating through an inter-university joint research model.
The center will contribute to testing and evaluating technologies developed under DIANA using infrastructure for human-centered neurotechnology, brain-computer interfaces, cognitive performance assessment, brain imaging, neuromodulation, robotic systems and artificial intelligence-assisted signal analysis.
NOROM will support the testing, validation and preparation of emerging technologies for real-world use under NATO’s DIANA program, which aims to support technological development at an early stage.
Its inclusion in the network is also expected to create new opportunities for Turkish researchers to work with international scientists and technology teams and turn research into patents, prototypes and products.
Council of Higher Education President Erol Ozvar said NOROM’s admission demonstrated the potential of cooperation among universities.
“NOROM carries Türkiye’s scientific research strength to the world,” Ozvar said, adding that bringing together the capabilities of three universities had created greater scientific capacity.
He said the center could help advance Türkiye’s research and technology development capacity and serve as a model for similar centers.
NOROM Director Hayrunnisa Bolay Belen said the center, opened in 2023, had reached international research standards in a short period.
She said its contribution would focus largely on human health and performance, while some preclinical testing could also be conducted, creating opportunities for cooperation with companies.
Deputy Director Meltem Bahcelioglu said the network would allow Turkish researchers to develop larger projects with NATO scientists that could progress toward patents and commercial products.
Researcher Hulusi Kafaligonul said NOROM would contribute its human-centered neurotechnology infrastructure to the international DIANA ecosystem for testing health technology prototypes.
Researcher Umut Aygun said the center’s robotic systems are being evaluated for areas including rehabilitation of children, social participation of people on the autism spectrum and arm rehabilitation following a stroke.
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