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Mesut Shin, associate professor of biomedical engineering. Photo: NJIT
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Development of neural prostheses—devices and technologies for
interfacing with the central nervous system—are the focus of research by
Associate Professor Mesut Sahin.
His current project, funded by a grant from the National
Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, is to develop and test a
technology known as FLAMES—floating light activated micro-electrical
stimulators—for wireless activation of the central nervous system. Energized by
an infrared light beam through an optical fiber located just outside the dura
mater, the tough, fibrous membrane forming the outermost of the three coverings
of the brain and spinal cord, these micro-stimulators allow victims of spinal
cord injuries to regain self-mobility, environmental contro,l and computer
access. Sahin says this new wireless approach is an improvement over previous
neural prostheses.
Electrical activation of central and peripheral nervous system
has been investigated for treatment of neural disorders for many decades and a
number of devices have already successfully moved into the clinical phase, such
as cochlear implants and pain management via spinal cord stimulation, and
others are on the way such as microstimulation of the spinal cord to restore
locomotion; microstimulation of the cochlear nucleus, midbrain, or auditory
cortex to better restore hearing; and stimulation of the visual cortex in the
blind subject,” he says “But the current implantable microelectrode arrays use
wired interconnects for applying the electric stimulations, and these fine
wires are a major source of device failure since they are the first to break in
chronic implants. The floating microstimulators will be free from any
interconnects and tethering forces that would erode over time.”
FLAMES is a small device that is remotely controlled by an
external unit via a near-infrared laser. The FLAMES device is implanted into
the spinal cord, and is then allowed to float in the tissue with no wires
attached. A patient would send the command to the external unit to activate the
laser,the laser would excite the FLAMES device, which would in turn stimulate
the neuron via an electrical current.
Sahin, associate professor of biomedical engineering, in
collaboration with Selim Unlu, professor of electrical and computer engineering
at Boston University, are currently testing variables such as size of the
device, material, voltage, and placement of the device. Once FLAMES advances to
the clinical stage, patients paralyzed by spinal injury will be able to regain
vital functions.
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