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Enhanced Deep Brain Stimulation Electrodes For Improved Efficacy In Parkinson’s Disease Therapy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$809,940.00
Summary
We are developing an advanced Deep Brain Stimulation system to improve the treatment for Parkinson’s disease. Current devices benefit only half of the patients, due to imprecision in directing the electrical current to the ideal brain targets. Our system aims to deliver the current more selectively. Our implant will contain more and smaller electrodes. We will also use a state-of-the-art stimulator, implantable on the head, with capabilities far beyond the current technology.
Delivering Advanced Electrode Materials To The Clinic
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$702,604.00
Summary
This research will develop improved electrodes for interfacing neural tissue by combining the expertise of materials scientists and electrophysiologists with medical bionics researchers. This work is expected to deliver improved bionic devices to the clinic in order to treat a variety of disorders from blindness to the control of motor tremor in Parkinson's disease.
Closed-loop Deep Brain Stimulation: Optimising Treatment Of Parkinson’s Disease Using Adaptive Stimulation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$726,177.00
Summary
Deep brain stimulation is an established therapy for Parkinson's disease when patients’ symptoms cannot be controlled adequately using medication. Although deep brain stimulation usually improves quality of life significantly, existing devices have shortcomings that often result in poor symptom alleviation and/or undesirable side-effects. This project is aimed at developing an innovative system that automatically adjusts stimulation according to the continually fluctuating needs of each patient.
Facial paralysis results in loss of the ability to blink, which is the primary means of protecting and lubricating the eye. The eye becomes dry and ulcerated and eventually vision loss ensues. No therapy exists that can reliably restore blink and hence treatment is mostly palliative today. BLINC is an implantable device that artificially restores eye closure. It is wirelessly powered and readily implantable. BLINC has achieved eye closure similar to natural blinking in human cadaveric models.
Black Out Advisory System - Development Of An Implantable Sub-scalp Seizure Monitor
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$868,402.00
Summary
Blackouts may result from seizures or heart problems, and incorrect diagnosis exposes patients to risk and limits activities. Diagnosis is difficult because these events are infrequent. Implantable monitors are useful in diagnosing cardiac abnormalities, but prolonged seizure monitoring has not been feasible. This system will use a minimally invasive implant inserted under the scalp enabling distinction of epileptic from non-epileptic causes. The implant also has the capability to improve patien ....Blackouts may result from seizures or heart problems, and incorrect diagnosis exposes patients to risk and limits activities. Diagnosis is difficult because these events are infrequent. Implantable monitors are useful in diagnosing cardiac abnormalities, but prolonged seizure monitoring has not been feasible. This system will use a minimally invasive implant inserted under the scalp enabling distinction of epileptic from non-epileptic causes. The implant also has the capability to improve patient safety through remote monitoring.Read moreRead less
Neuro-feedback For Improved Efficacy Of Retinal Prostheses
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$653,655.00
Summary
Bionic eyes offer the possibility to return sight to the blind. Existing retinal implants are effective at delivering basic visual percepts, namely brief spots of light. Our team is now working on building the second generation of bionic eyes that include the ability to both stimulate the visual system (the retina) and record its response. By recording the evoked responses, we can adjust and optimize the stimulation to restore a persistent high spatial resolution sense of vision to the blind.
Superior Surgical Fixation Using A Novel Orthopaedic Expandable Fastener
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$414,076.00
Summary
Surgeons repair bone fractures using metal plates and screws. Sometimes the screws loosen and the surgery needs to be repeated. Expandable screws are stronger, but more difficult and sometimes impossible to remove. The research team will test a new type of screw that holds the bones together with greater strength (our current work shows 40% stronger) but can be removed easily if necessary. This grant will allow extensive mechanical testing in preparation for a first-in-human clinical trial.
Bioengineering Endovascular Prostheses With Proactive Biocompatibility
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$627,950.00
Summary
Metallic cardiovascular implants, such as stents, used in the treatment of heart disease are not compatible with blood. They cause inflammation at the site of implantation and increase the risk of blood clots forming. We have developed a unique method of binding bioactive protein layers to the surface of metal alloys, and shown a significant improvement in their compatibility. Stents coated using our technology stand to dramatically improve the treatment of cardiovascular disease.
Development Of Endovascular Stents With Proactive Biocompatibility
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$428,470.00
Summary
Metallic cardiovascular implants, such as stents, used in the treatment of heart disease are not compatible with blood. They cause inflammation at the site of implantation and increase the risk of blood clots forming. We have developed a unique method of binding bioactive protein layers to the surface of metal alloys, and shown a significant improvement in their compatibility. Stents coated using our technology stand to dramatically improve the treatment of cardiovascular disease.
Next Generation Cybernetics: Long Term Carbon Fibre Dual Stimulation / Recording Electrode Arrays For Closed Loop Neural Implants
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$679,670.00
Summary
Electrodes implanted in the brain have enormous potential for treating a range of conditions from epilepsy to control of prosthetics for patients with limb loss. Currently, the electrodes used in such system fail rapidly because they are rejected by the body. We aim to use diamond with ultra-fine carbon fibre electrodes to make arrays that are invisible to the human immune system. Such arrays will function for the lifetime of the patient without needing replacement.