BCI manufacturer Blackrock Neurotech and the University of Pittsburgh are working together to make studies more accessible to persons with paralysis with the use of a compact, remote Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) system that can be used at home. Read more about the new BCI.
Blackrock Neurotech and Pitt Work on First At-home BCI System for Remote Trials
July 25, 2022
FDA Clears EksoNR Robotic Exoskeleton for Multiple Sclerosis
July 25, 2022
The FDA has cleared Ekso Bionics' EksoNR for use with MS patients, making it the first robotic exoskeleton cleared for use with MS patients. EksoNR is the Richmond, CA-based company's latest generation device. It was previously cleared by FDA for stroke and spinal cord injury rehabilitation in 2016, and for acquired brain injury in 2020. Read more about EksoNR.
BCI Pioneers Coalition to Serve as a Forum to Discuss Patient Experiences
July 13, 2022
The BCI Pioneers Coalition will center on the unique experience of Ian Burkhart, a former Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) study participant at Ohio State University, and his peers. The coalition is a grassroots effort by BCI users to center the discussion on patient experiences, led by the patients. Read more about the BCI Pioneers Coalition.
Meet the Stentrode: A Bluetooth Implant to Give You Mind Control Over Computers
July 5, 2022
A company focused on BCI, Synchron is developing electronic devices that aims to help persons with paralysis control their body, and the Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) company has big ambitions for the future of BCI and has begun enrolling patients into the first clinical trial of its kind. Read more about Stentrode.
South Korea: Researchers Announce Results of Long-term Study of Cochlear Implantation
June 29, 2022
A research team at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital (SNUBH) has announced the world's first successful long-term results of cochlear implantation in patients born with no cochlear for whom surgical implantation was previously unavailable. Read more about long-term monitoring of cochlear implantation.
US FDA Advisement on End User Engagement
March 23, 2022
The Food & Drug Administration issued guidance for the medical device industry on the engagement of end user perspectives when designing and conducting clinical trials. This guidance is the product of many discussions on the impact that such perspectives have on medical device adoption by end users. Read the full guidance document on the FDA's website.
New Neuroengineering & BCI Initiative
March 15, 2022
Faculty from the University of Alabama Birmingham School of Engineering and the departments of Neurobiology, Neurology and Neurosurgery in the Heersink School of Medicine have come together to establish the UAB Neuroengineering and Brain-Computer Interface Initiative. Read the announcement via UAB.
Paralysed Man Walks Thanks to Implant
February 14, 2022
A spinal implant has allowed a paralyzed man to walk freely again. The research has been published in the journal Nature Medicine from a team of researchers in Lausanne. It is the first time someone who has had a complete cut to their spinal cord has been able to walk freely. Read the full article from the BBC.
2021 Year in Review from Neurotech Reports
February 3, 2022
Neurotech Reports editor James Cavuoto offers a concise review of 2021 accomplishments in the industry, including funding, FDA breakthrough designations, and trends to expect in 2022. Read the free article at Neurotech Reports.
Study on Bionic Vision Technology Paves the Way Towards Human Trials
January 18, 2022
The Phoenix99 Bionic Eye is an implantable system designed to restore a form of vision in persons who are blind. The device’s two main components which need to be implanted consist of a stimulator attached to the eye and a communication module positioned under the skin behind the ear. Sheep trials showed that the body accepted both these elements and furthermore healed around them. The team is now applying for ethics approval to perform clinical trials in human patients. Phoenix99 Bionic Eye Trials.