Descrizione del progetto
Microsystems and Smart Miniaturised Systems
The overall concept of the 48-month Integrated Project NEUWalk is focused specifically on Objective ICT-2009.3.9 Microsystems and Smart Miniaturised Systems with particular emphasis to c) Application-specific microsystems and smart miniaturised systems 1) Biomedical S&T objectives. The technological objective of NEUWalk is to develop novel microtechnology, microelectronics, brain decoding algorithms and smart control interfaces that can be flexibly assembled to address neurobiomedical issues that not only impact the quality of life in thousands of individuals throughout Europe, but also create a significant economic burden for European countries. These innovative neurotechnologies will be combined to achieve an integrated cortico-spinal neuroprosthetic interface. The underlying objective in NEUWalk is to restore motor functions in individuals with severe spinal cord injury (SCI) and to establish a more efficient, less invasive and safer strategy to alleviate Parkinson's disease (PD) syndromes. To achieve this ambitious goal, we will capitalize on recent breakthroughs that demonstrate the impressive capacity of spinal cord stimulations to promote the recovery of full weight bearing walking in paralyzed SCI rats and to alleviate severe Parkinsonian symptoms in rodents. Elaboration and validation of the NEUWalk concept will be carried out in rats with SCI and non-human primates with PD. To accelerate the translation towards efficient clinical therapies, preliminary testing will be conducted in humans with SCI. The potential impact of the microtechnology, microelectronics, and treatment paradigms developed in NEUWalk is tremendous. These advances will open avenues for revolutionary clinical applications and will contribute to fill the increasingly wider gap that separates European research on Neuroprosthetics to similar studies conducted in the United States. Beyond SCI and PD, the NEUWalk concepts will fertilize new designs for the treatment of other neurologic disorders.
Campo scientifico
- natural sciencesbiological scienceszoologymammalogyprimatology
- natural sciencesphysical scienceselectromagnetism and electronicsmicroelectronics
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicineneurologyparkinson
- medical and health sciencesmedical biotechnologyimplants
- engineering and technologyother engineering and technologiesmicrotechnology
Invito a presentare proposte
FP7-ICT-2009-5
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Meccanismo di finanziamento
CP - Collaborative project (generic)Coordinatore
80686 Munchen
Germania