Hybrid Sensor-based Physiological Control of an Implantable Rotary Blood Pump. With over 11 million people needing heart transplants worldwide and only 3000 donor hearts, an effective alternative therapy is needed. The Ventracor Ltd. rotary blood pump is one possible approach whereby a fully implantable mechanical device assists the failing heart. The innovative steps in this research proposal will be a means to robustly and safely control the speed of the pump to meet the metabolic needs of the ....Hybrid Sensor-based Physiological Control of an Implantable Rotary Blood Pump. With over 11 million people needing heart transplants worldwide and only 3000 donor hearts, an effective alternative therapy is needed. The Ventracor Ltd. rotary blood pump is one possible approach whereby a fully implantable mechanical device assists the failing heart. The innovative steps in this research proposal will be a means to robustly and safely control the speed of the pump to meet the metabolic needs of the body. Apart from the obvious health benefits for patients, this will provide the company with a huge market advantage that will also help to bolster the Australian medical device industry.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0453623
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$164,640.00
Summary
Peripheral quantitative computed tomography facility for analysing bone material and structural properties. We aim to establish a facility that allows non-invasive measurement of apparent material and structural properties of small animal and human bone using leading-edge technology, peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT). pQCT measurements, incorporated into our fundamental bone research will improve our understanding of the role of mechanical, environmental and local factors in re ....Peripheral quantitative computed tomography facility for analysing bone material and structural properties. We aim to establish a facility that allows non-invasive measurement of apparent material and structural properties of small animal and human bone using leading-edge technology, peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT). pQCT measurements, incorporated into our fundamental bone research will improve our understanding of the role of mechanical, environmental and local factors in regulating bone and mineral metabolism and altering bone properties. This has implications for maximising bone strength and promoting optimal health throughout life. The facility will be used for a diverse range of multidisciplinary basic bone research and is vital in order to maintain international competitiveness in the field.Read moreRead less
Industrial Transformation Training Centres - Grant ID: IC180100024
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$4,000,000.00
Summary
ARC Training Centre for Medical Implant Technologies. The ARC Training Centre for Medical Implant Technologies aims to train a new generation of interdisciplinary engineers and to transform the orthopaedic and maxillofacial implant industry in Australia. In collaboration with industry, universities and hospitals, the Centre will build a dynamic training environment for interdisciplinary engineers to develop and evaluate personalised implants and surgeries. It will create new networks, internatio ....ARC Training Centre for Medical Implant Technologies. The ARC Training Centre for Medical Implant Technologies aims to train a new generation of interdisciplinary engineers and to transform the orthopaedic and maxillofacial implant industry in Australia. In collaboration with industry, universities and hospitals, the Centre will build a dynamic training environment for interdisciplinary engineers to develop and evaluate personalised implants and surgeries. It will create new networks, international collaborations and a generation of industry-ready researchers critical for growing Australia’s industry. The advances in materials and savings in time for procedures will reduce costs.
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Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR0354734
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$10,000.00
Summary
The Australian Research Network for Medical Devices: advanced technology solutions for patients and practitioners. Medical Device technologies embrace a wide range of scientific, engineering and medical knowledge, with the goal of assisting a clinical professional (doctor or nurse) deliver a service to a patient in an efficacious, cost effective manner. Development of appropriate medical devices, whether for diagnosis, treatment or prevention of disease or disability, is critical to improving h ....The Australian Research Network for Medical Devices: advanced technology solutions for patients and practitioners. Medical Device technologies embrace a wide range of scientific, engineering and medical knowledge, with the goal of assisting a clinical professional (doctor or nurse) deliver a service to a patient in an efficacious, cost effective manner. Development of appropriate medical devices, whether for diagnosis, treatment or prevention of disease or disability, is critical to improving health care and reducing health care costs. To be successful, a device must include all relevant disciplines in the research, development and testing phases. This network will bring together these groups, promoting knowledge sharing and cross-disciplinary investigations that illuminate current device limitations and potential solutions.Read moreRead less
Biomechanics Meets Robotics: Methods for Accurate and Fast Needle Targeting. This project intends to create a novel integrated framework for biomedical systems that can accurately target a needle. Accurate surgical targeting means less trauma and better patient outcomes. Needles are used in over half of all surgical procedures, but up to 38 per cent of these are affected by targeting errors. Achieving sub-millimetre accuracy is extremely difficult because inserting a needle displaces the tissue ....Biomechanics Meets Robotics: Methods for Accurate and Fast Needle Targeting. This project intends to create a novel integrated framework for biomedical systems that can accurately target a needle. Accurate surgical targeting means less trauma and better patient outcomes. Needles are used in over half of all surgical procedures, but up to 38 per cent of these are affected by targeting errors. Achieving sub-millimetre accuracy is extremely difficult because inserting a needle displaces the tissue and moves the target. How, then, can ultra-fine targeting be achieved? This project plans to integrate non-linear biomechanical models that predict tissue motion with accurate and principled motion control. It seeks to create new methods for surgical robots that will predict target motion and guide a needle to accurately intersect the target.Read moreRead less
Inhomogeneous tissue conductivity influence on the forward and inverse electroencephalogram problems in realistic head models. The brain dysfunction indicators have been extremely difficult to obtain, largely because many disorders of higher brain function reflect abnormalities of brain function rather than apparent brain structure. The neuronal generator localization and identification in this project will provide complementary information about source and timing of neural activities sub-servin ....Inhomogeneous tissue conductivity influence on the forward and inverse electroencephalogram problems in realistic head models. The brain dysfunction indicators have been extremely difficult to obtain, largely because many disorders of higher brain function reflect abnormalities of brain function rather than apparent brain structure. The neuronal generator localization and identification in this project will provide complementary information about source and timing of neural activities sub-serving higher brain function and form sequences of spatial-temporal brain activity image. That will enable the information from MRI, which has a good spatial but poor temporal resolution, and the information from EEG, which has a high temporal resolution on the scalp, to be combined to provide clinical psychologists and brain researchers a more efficient diagnostic tool.Read moreRead less
New open MRI Technology for Kinematic Orthopaedic Imaging. This application intends to significantly enhance Open MRI as applied to dynamic joint imaging by technological and methodological innovation. Expected outcomes include better technology for the imaging of joints under loaded movement and consequently, improved understanding of joint function and disease. This technology will provide unique ability in Australia and brings together highly skilled groups in Biomedical Engineering, medical ....New open MRI Technology for Kinematic Orthopaedic Imaging. This application intends to significantly enhance Open MRI as applied to dynamic joint imaging by technological and methodological innovation. Expected outcomes include better technology for the imaging of joints under loaded movement and consequently, improved understanding of joint function and disease. This technology will provide unique ability in Australia and brings together highly skilled groups in Biomedical Engineering, medical equipment manufacturing and design and musculo-skeletal imaging.Read moreRead less
Cardiac electrographic modelling and analysis. The outcomes of this project will improve the accuracy with which abnormal conduction pathways in the heart are found and will also use chaotic modelling tools to better predict the need and outcomes of patients with life threatening arrhythmias.
Advanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging at 7 Tesla: Resolving the fundamental radiofrequency field-tissue interaction problem at ultra-high field. Ultra-high-field Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) systems offer the potential for faster, more accurate diagnostic imaging. However, current applications are limited by the fundamental challenge of strong interactions between the electromagnetic field and human tissues, which result in poor image quality and/or compromised patient safety. Using a novel, s ....Advanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging at 7 Tesla: Resolving the fundamental radiofrequency field-tissue interaction problem at ultra-high field. Ultra-high-field Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) systems offer the potential for faster, more accurate diagnostic imaging. However, current applications are limited by the fundamental challenge of strong interactions between the electromagnetic field and human tissues, which result in poor image quality and/or compromised patient safety. Using a novel, subject-specific imaging approach, this research will design and develop an ultra-high-field radiofrequency technology capable of offering high-performance imaging without jeopardising patient safety. This research will lay the groundwork for the translation of ultra-high field MRI research into clinical practice, generating new capabilities for diagnostic technologies.Read moreRead less
How do mechanics, neural drive and muscle architecture interact in muscles? This project will determine how an individual person’s muscle activity, muscle structure and mechanical properties, and the local mechanical conditions around the muscle interact as muscles move and deform, by using experiments and personalised computational models that can examine these factors and their interactions concurrently. To achieve this, we will develop novel magnetic resonance imaging methods to measure the m ....How do mechanics, neural drive and muscle architecture interact in muscles? This project will determine how an individual person’s muscle activity, muscle structure and mechanical properties, and the local mechanical conditions around the muscle interact as muscles move and deform, by using experiments and personalised computational models that can examine these factors and their interactions concurrently. To achieve this, we will develop novel magnetic resonance imaging methods to measure the mechanical properties of muscles in humans and methods for modelling muscles. As well as answering fundamental scientific questions about muscle function, these new techniques will provide a platform for studying other muscles, and for future development of muscle training methods and technologies to optimise muscle function.Read moreRead less