SPARC Program & BRAIN Initiative: CorTec is Listed as Industry Partner

We are partnering up with researchers towards innovative neurotherapies: CorTec is listed as industry partner for SPARC Program and BRAIN Initiative!

With SPARC Program and BRAIN Initiative the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have launched two important funding programs for innovative research that shall support the development of the next generation of neurotechnology and neurotherapies.

Both funding programs have established a network of industry partners who are offering their technology for neuromodulation applications. CorTec is now listed as partner for researchers funded by SPARC and BRAIN providing solutions like flat or cuff electrodes, encapsulation technology or the Brain Interchange system for closed-loop interaction with the neural system.

Both, SPARC Program and BRAIN Initiative are funding exciting research like for example the interdisciplinary project led by Edward Chang at the University of California, San Francisco which aims at decoding the functional architecture of the speech motor cortex.

“Step by step Dr. Chang’s research builds the fundamentals for eventually reading the words unspoken by patients suffering from paralysis”, commented CorTec CEO Dr. Joern Rickert. “Already five years ago he demonstrated in a study in collaboration with Robert Knight that is possible to understand simple sentences from the spectrograms reconstructed from ECoG recordings (Pasley et al. 2012). Now he is taking this work to the next level.”

Another project which also aims at understanding the production of language runs in collaboration between Nitin Tandon and Nathan Crone at the University of Texas and Johns Hopkins University: Using closed-loop direct cortical stimulation they want to modulate brain activity at identified nodes to provide insight into language processing inside the brain.

Closed-loop interaction with the nervous system is constantly gaining ground in top-level research.

Two projects are focusing on improved therapies of Movement disorders (Parkinson’s disease and essential tremor) based on closed-loop stimulation. While the project led by Philip Starr at the University of California, San Francisco addresses the detection of brain signals to the parameters of stimulation in the closed loop Aysegul Gunduz’s project at the University of Florida focuses on Essential Tremor. Due to the intermittent appearance of these symptoms continuous stimulation is likely unnecessary and could cause side effects that might be eliminated by introducing a closed-loop therapy.

“As to this moment we cannot be certain if side effects of continuous stimulation can be improved by ‘closing the loop’ and changing to adaptive stimulation patterns”, pointed out Prof. Dr. Volker A. Coenen, member of the Scientific Technical Advisory Board of CorTec. “Especially Essential tremor, which typically is treated with bilateral DBS, might cause speech and gait disturbances elicited by co-activation of the cerebellum . It is hard to understand why essential tremor is regarded as fluctuating since it typically is not (much unlike Parkinson’s disease). It might however be meaningful to reduce stimulation during tasks that do not require optimal tremor control. Never the less it is intuitive to try and ameliorate these effects by changing from continuous to adaptive stimulation technology. The two groups mentioned are certainly at the forefront of this DBS research.”

 

Learn more about SPARC and download the CorTec device information

Learn more about BRAIN Initiative and download the CorTec device information

Get a Quote

We’re happy to help you realize your next project. Whether it is a complete implantable system design, an electrode or another component.

Please fill out the form below and our sales team will be in contact with you shortly.

SPECIFICATIONS

FEATURE 

Recording channels 

Sampling rate 

Sampling dynamic range 

High pass filter cut-off 

Low pass filter cut-off 

Amplifier band pass gain 

Band pass roll-off 

Reference


Stimulation 

Stimulation channels 

Current 

Current source 

Pulse width 

Power supply 

Wireless data transmission 

Closed Loop latency

VALUE

32 

1 kHz 

16 bit (74 nV smallest increment) 

ca. 2 Hz 

325 Hz 

Adjustable: 100-750 

20 dB/dec 

Any (subset) of the recording channels selectable by software or one dedicated hard-wired additional contact 

Current-controlled, biphasic, rectangular, asymmetric stimulus pulses (cathodic amplitude with pulse width followed by an anodic counter pulse of 1/4x amplitude and 4x pulse width) 

 32 

Max. -6 mA / +1.5 mA (24 µA increments) within

 compliance voltage range of -11 V to +5 V 

Can be directed to any of the 32 electrode contacts 

Negative phase: 10 µs – 2,500 µs

Wireless inductive, 120-140 kHz

Bi-directional, radio frequency in 2400-2483.5 MHz band ≤ 40 ms