Implanted Devices

Research Outline

Research interests of the Implanted Devices Group include: functional electrical stimulation of paralysed muscle, stimulation treatment for rehabilitation by neuroplasticity, nerve interfaces, design of electronic implants, and the technology of implanted devices.

Projects

• CANDO (with Newcastle University and Imperial College London, funded by the Wellcome Trust). Our principal role is to test the components and materials that will be implanted in the brain to see whether they are reliable.
• iCYCLE (with Southampton University and the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, funded by the Inspire Foundation). Clinical testing of a novel exercise ergometer with spinal cord injured patients with incomplete lesions. The patients participate in virtual cycling races to maximise their voluntary effort which may improve the neuroplastic adaptation.
• GSK Bioelectronic Medicine Challenge (with Cambridge University and the University of Washington in Seattle). To develop an implant that can stimulate nerve, record nerve traffic, or block nerve traffic in experimental rats.
• EPSRC Funded Fellowship (with UCL Department of Materials and Tissue). Engineering a regenerative multichannel interface with the peripheral nervous system with integrated electronics.
• LiDo Studentship (with UCL Department of Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering). Developing a biohybrid device for stimulating deinnervated muscle.
• ROBOVOX (lead by Prof Martin Birchall of UCL's Ear Institute, with Bristol University, funded by the Wellcome Trust). Our role is to produce an implant to record muscle responses and nerve traffic to control an artificial larynx (for laringectomy patients).
• CAPITel (funded by the Restoring Appearances Foundation Trust).  Our role is to develop an implantable system to provide seamless control of limb prostheses for amputees.