Ultra Long-Term EEG (subscalp electrodes): EpiOs

In partnership with Wyss Center for Bio and Neuroengineering
 

Epilepsy is defined by the seemingly random occurrence of spontaneous seizures. Individuals with epilepsy suffer variable frequency of seizures but are not necessarily aware of their own seizures that can occur during sleep or lead to amnesia. 
 A device that could chronically track epileptic brain activity would enable a novel personalized approach. The EpiOs projects consist of the development and clinical trial of a sub-scalp EEG system that is inserted between the scalp and the skull via minimally invasive surgical technique. The device will record EEG epileptic brain activity 24/7 for months in a home environment to help identify periods at heightened risk for seizures. 

Ultra Long-Term EEG (non-invasive electrodes): ULTEEM

In partnership with CSEM and ESA

The ULTEEM allows to non-invasively record the electric brain activity generated by the temporal lobes. Developed in collaboration with the Centre Suisse d'Electronique et de Microtechnique (CSEM) and sponsored by the European Space Agency (ESA), the ULTEEM has been successfully tested at NeuroTec. This minimally obtrusive system integrates dry electrodes, amplifier and memory and is so small that it may be attached to the frame of glasses.

Brain-inspired  Computing for EEG analysis

In partnership with ETHZ
 

Mobile (ultra-)long-term recordings of electrical brain activity (EEG) yield extremely large amounts of data, which may cause significant bottlenecks for transmission to a digital cloud for further analysis. Therefore novel approaches aim to solve this problem by processing the data as close as possible to the sensors. However, processing data close – or even in – the sensors depends on very energy-efficient methods to enable small form-factor and long-life operation.  Highly energy-efficient algorithms are developed in the modern field of brain-inspired hyperdimensional computing. In this project hyperdimensional computing is exploited for efficient analysis of (intracranial) EEG (http://ieeg-swez.ethz.ch/)

Rocking-Bed (Somnomat)

In partnership with ETHZ
 

Sleep plays a fundamental role in health and well-being. Bad sleep hygiene, sleep deprivation, and sleep disorders increase risk of cardiovascular diseases and have a negative impact on mood, cognitive performance, and motor function. The vision of the Somnomat project is the development of an autonomous robotic platform, able to monitor the user during sleep and to interact with him to improve sleep quality.

Closed-loop NeuroStimulation

NeuroStimulation started in the 1990s for Parkinson disease, but is still in its infancy regarding the understanding of its impact on brain physiology. This lack of understanding prevents physician to use the right set of stimulation parameters for the right patient. One promising approach is to use a closed-loop to sense brain activity, stimulate and sense again to evaluate the impact of the stimulation. This approach will be used for stimulation of deep and cortical structures for treatment of movement disorders, epilepsy and psychiatric disorders. 

Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (tACS) 

In partnership with Pulvinar Neuro

Non-invasive brain stimulation has emerged as a promising scientific tool to modulate brain activity in a targeted way. In collaboration with Pulvinar Neuro, we are studying new paradigms for treating illnesses of the central nervous system with transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS). Pulvinar Neuro is a US-based start up company with the mission of providing the next generation neurotechnology for recording and modulating brain activity. This exciting collaboration is based on integration of target identification, engagement, and validation through innovative neuroscience and translational research that is enabled by the unique capabilities of the NeuroTec.