Projects

The european (EU) NEBIAS (“NEurocontrolled BIdirectional Artificial upper limb and handprosthesiS”) project aims at developing and clinically evaluating (in selected amputees) aneuro-controlled upper limb prosthesis intuitively controlled and felt by the amputee as the natural one. This will be possible by means of a novel neural interface able to provide a stable and very selective connection with the nervous system. This goal will beachievedby combining microtechnology andmaterial scienceandwill allow, ononeside, recordingof the motor-related signals governing the actions of the amputated hand/arm for the motioncontrol of a mechanical prosthesis, and ontheother providingsensory feedbackfromtactile and kinesthetic sensors through neuromorphic stimulation of the adequateafferent pathway within the residual limb. The NEBIAS project is also aimed at finding out the ‘language’ intrinsically linking central nervous system with peripheral nerve signals in order to govern simple and complex hand/fingers movements. To reach this goal, a variety of techniques exploring brain and nerve functions will be assembled and integrated; this includes the analysis of electromagnetic brain and nerve signals, as well as of movement-relatedchanges inbrain's blood flow/metabolism. Here at the university of Freiburg we focus on developing and fabricating intrafascicular implantable electrode interfaces. These interfaces should be developed and built under quality managements (ISO 13485) standards to further the reach of the application.