Improved effectiveness of cochlear implants through new simultaneous stimulation techniques. Cochlear implants have brought the gift of hearing to 250,000 people worldwide and are an excellent example of Australian innovation. This project will examine an improved "high fidelity" stimulation strategy with the objective of defining a safe stimulus range for clinical use and providing a commercial advantage for Cochlear Ltd.
Industrial Transformation Training Centres - Grant ID: IC170100022
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$4,420,408.00
Summary
ARC Training Centre for Innovative BioEngineering. The ARC Training Centre for Musculoskeletal Biomedical Technologies will provide the next-generation of skilled graduates to overcome industry-focused challenges in musculoskeletal regeneration. The Centre expects to engineer a set of integrated technologies to personalise implants for the unique biological, physical and lifestyle characteristics of the recipient. Expected outcomes of the Centre include embedded bioelectronic sensors to assess a ....ARC Training Centre for Innovative BioEngineering. The ARC Training Centre for Musculoskeletal Biomedical Technologies will provide the next-generation of skilled graduates to overcome industry-focused challenges in musculoskeletal regeneration. The Centre expects to engineer a set of integrated technologies to personalise implants for the unique biological, physical and lifestyle characteristics of the recipient. Expected outcomes of the Centre include embedded bioelectronic sensors to assess and optimise the healing process. In addition, the Centre will produce data for use in deriving the next-generation of implants, giving rise to improved health outcomes, economic benefits, and a skilled workforce able to advance and perpetuate this important field.Read moreRead less
Industrial Transformation Training Centres - Grant ID: IC170100035
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$4,743,710.00
Summary
ARC Training Centre for Innovation in Biomedical Imaging Technology. The ARC Training Centre for Innovation in Biomedical Imaging Technology expects to train 20 industry-ready innovation scientists who will undertake industry-driven research in the development and application of novel diagnostics, therapeutics and theranostics. They will inform changes in regulatory policy that support industry growth. The Centre will build multidisciplinary links between researchers and within industry to devel ....ARC Training Centre for Innovation in Biomedical Imaging Technology. The ARC Training Centre for Innovation in Biomedical Imaging Technology expects to train 20 industry-ready innovation scientists who will undertake industry-driven research in the development and application of novel diagnostics, therapeutics and theranostics. They will inform changes in regulatory policy that support industry growth. The Centre will build multidisciplinary links between researchers and within industry to develop ‘smart’ probes and ‘smart’ scanning, harnessing the digital revolution for better, cost effective diagnostic imaging and improved health outcomes.Read moreRead less
Signal processing algorithms for interpreting multi-dimensional ambulatory data during normal activities: correlates of current measures of fall risk. This project will develop algorithms to analyse human movement, measured using a small waist-worn sensor, which approximate existing clinical tests to identify likely fallers. This will enable future fall risk monitor development. This is an important problem as one in three senior citizens fall each year, costing around $500 million in healthcare ....Signal processing algorithms for interpreting multi-dimensional ambulatory data during normal activities: correlates of current measures of fall risk. This project will develop algorithms to analyse human movement, measured using a small waist-worn sensor, which approximate existing clinical tests to identify likely fallers. This will enable future fall risk monitor development. This is an important problem as one in three senior citizens fall each year, costing around $500 million in healthcare.Read moreRead less
Haemodynamic investigation of flow diverter stents for the treatment of intracranial aneurysms. This project will explore the engineering of a flow diverter, an endovascular device for the treatment of brain aneurysms. The project will determine the optimal design of new types of flow diverters, which in turn could improve the effectiveness of treatments, thus reducing the associated costs of cerebral haemorrhage and stroke.
Technology platform for noninvasive measurement of intracranial pressure. The project aims to investigate a technology platform for noninvasive measurement of fluid pressure in the brain to improve assessment of brain function. Engineering approaches will aim to characterise the relationships between arterial and intracranial pressure from experimental data, computational models and signal processing of noninvasive blood pressure in the aorta, pressure in the eye and blood flow in brain and reti ....Technology platform for noninvasive measurement of intracranial pressure. The project aims to investigate a technology platform for noninvasive measurement of fluid pressure in the brain to improve assessment of brain function. Engineering approaches will aim to characterise the relationships between arterial and intracranial pressure from experimental data, computational models and signal processing of noninvasive blood pressure in the aorta, pressure in the eye and blood flow in brain and retinal vessels. Findings are expected to produce novel engineering advances in development of techniques and devices for intracranial pressure measurement, a procedure currently limited to high-risk invasive methods.Read moreRead less
Unified platform for real time QA in radiation therapy in brachytherapy based on high resolution silicon detectors (Magic Plate). This project will design and manufacture new devices for measuring the amount of radiation given to the patient during radiotherapy. This will improve the accuracy and safety of cancer treatment as well as greatly reducing the time needed to perform essential safety checks.
Biological determinants of the safety and stability of neuroprosthetic stimulation electrodes. Performance of cochlear implants and the quality of sound perceived by patients is strongly related to electrode impedance. Electrode impedance fluctuates relative to the implant electrical activity, but the mechanisms which cause this are not clear. This project aims to investigate the role of protein adsorption in electrode performance, including impedance and material dissolution. To enable these in ....Biological determinants of the safety and stability of neuroprosthetic stimulation electrodes. Performance of cochlear implants and the quality of sound perceived by patients is strongly related to electrode impedance. Electrode impedance fluctuates relative to the implant electrical activity, but the mechanisms which cause this are not clear. This project aims to investigate the role of protein adsorption in electrode performance, including impedance and material dissolution. To enable these investigations a new biomimetic analogue of the perilymph (cochlea fluid) is intended to be developed. Additionally, the project aims to investigate two strategies to minimise impedance changes: small pulse electrode cleaning and antifouling coatings. Understanding and control of factors influencing electrode stability aim to facilitate next-generation implant designs.Read moreRead less
Conformal Bionics - addressing the challenges in bringing miniaturised implants to the site of therapeutic delivery. Smaller, more sophisticated, lifetime-implantable bionic devices capable of being placed at the site of therapeutic delivery will facilitate new or improved opportunities for treatment of disease. Three critical areas of research aim to be explored in pursuit of this goal will be addressed within this study: introduction of new fabrication materials that enable devices to conform ....Conformal Bionics - addressing the challenges in bringing miniaturised implants to the site of therapeutic delivery. Smaller, more sophisticated, lifetime-implantable bionic devices capable of being placed at the site of therapeutic delivery will facilitate new or improved opportunities for treatment of disease. Three critical areas of research aim to be explored in pursuit of this goal will be addressed within this study: introduction of new fabrication materials that enable devices to conform to the anatomy of the targeted site of therapeutic delivery; improved means of addressing the data and energy transfer needs of devices implanted in confined spaces; and innovation of novel sensors for testing and monitoring of atmospheric conditions within the implant to anticipate and safely manage issues relating to a breach of hermetic encapsulation barriers.Read moreRead less
Scaling manufacture of three-dimensional microstructures for the medical devices industry. Scaling manufacture of three-dimensional microstructures for the medical devices industry. This project aims to transform microscale three-dimensional prototyping into a cheap high volume manufacturing process through a novel soft embossing process. Although three-dimensional printing has been hailed as a disruptive technology, because it can print complex shapes directly from drawings, it is too slow at m ....Scaling manufacture of three-dimensional microstructures for the medical devices industry. Scaling manufacture of three-dimensional microstructures for the medical devices industry. This project aims to transform microscale three-dimensional prototyping into a cheap high volume manufacturing process through a novel soft embossing process. Although three-dimensional printing has been hailed as a disruptive technology, because it can print complex shapes directly from drawings, it is too slow at microscale for high volume manufacture. This research will develop microdevices for painless collection of blood, its analysis, and drug delivery. Cost-effective manufacture of these microdevices is expected to tap into the large medical devices industry, leading to establishing new businesses in the point-of-care and drug delivery markets.Read moreRead less