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.
Novel Neural Interfaces and Instrumentation for Stimulation and Monitoring of Retinal Activation in an Epiretinal Vision Prosthesis. Australia's reputation in medical neuroprostheses is second to none with the most notable example being the 'bionic ear' for the deaf. This research compliments that reputation by advancing science and engineering knowledge towards achieving a truly beneficial prosthesis for the blind, a 'bionic eye'. This research will also advance our capacity to address other a ....Novel Neural Interfaces and Instrumentation for Stimulation and Monitoring of Retinal Activation in an Epiretinal Vision Prosthesis. Australia's reputation in medical neuroprostheses is second to none with the most notable example being the 'bionic ear' for the deaf. This research compliments that reputation by advancing science and engineering knowledge towards achieving a truly beneficial prosthesis for the blind, a 'bionic eye'. This research will also advance our capacity to address other areas of therapeutic medical implants including those for limb movement to the paralysed. Benefits to the community include the very real possibility of restoring some visual capacity to the blind thus improving their quality of life through improved mobility, social interaction, and mental health. Read moreRead less
Micromachined electrode arrays for improved performance and manufacturability of cochlear neuroprostheses. The cochlear implant for the deaf, and bionic eye for the blind are two devices where Australian researchers possess considerable expertise. Benefit can be had from collaborative research between these non-competing scientific fields. Microelectrodes is an area wherein overcoming the unique requirements of one field offers new opportunities in the other. We aim to enhance Australia's leader ....Micromachined electrode arrays for improved performance and manufacturability of cochlear neuroprostheses. The cochlear implant for the deaf, and bionic eye for the blind are two devices where Australian researchers possess considerable expertise. Benefit can be had from collaborative research between these non-competing scientific fields. Microelectrodes is an area wherein overcoming the unique requirements of one field offers new opportunities in the other. We aim to enhance Australia's leadership in cochlear implants by applying decade-long research on electrode fabrication techniques for the bionic eye into 3D shapes for the cochlea. Furthermore, we aim to further improve the effectiveness, safety and reliability of the cochlear implant while facilitating increased electrode numbers.Read moreRead less
Oscillations as a mechanism for neural communication. The project aims to answer how billions of cells in the brain can work together to allow us to perceive the world. By using novel electrophysiological and engineering techniques, the project tests if a brain signal called the local field potential provides a way for different areas in the brain to communicate. The hypothesis is that the local field potential is used by cells to synchronise their activity to be most effective. This project wou ....Oscillations as a mechanism for neural communication. The project aims to answer how billions of cells in the brain can work together to allow us to perceive the world. By using novel electrophysiological and engineering techniques, the project tests if a brain signal called the local field potential provides a way for different areas in the brain to communicate. The hypothesis is that the local field potential is used by cells to synchronise their activity to be most effective. This project would be a paradigm shift in how we currently understand how the brain works. Expected outcomes include answering long held questions about how we see and perceive the world. This should provide significant benefit to fields such as computer vision and the development of neural engineering devices.Read moreRead less