The development and testing of a device to enhance the application of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation. This project aims to develop and evaluate a new device designed to substantially enhance the use of transcranial magnetic stimulation, a technology, which is increasingly being applied in the treatment of disorders such as depression, as well as in the study of normal and abnormal brain function.
Central Representation of Electroacoustic Stimuli. Cochlear implantation, initially only provided to profoundly deaf individuals, is now routine in people with substantial residual hearing. Although stimulation via a cochlear implant and hearing aid in the same ear has been shown to improve speech understanding, particularly in noise, and to increase the aesthetic quality of sound, almost nothing is known about the physiological mechanisms underlying these benefits. The broad aim of our project ....Central Representation of Electroacoustic Stimuli. Cochlear implantation, initially only provided to profoundly deaf individuals, is now routine in people with substantial residual hearing. Although stimulation via a cochlear implant and hearing aid in the same ear has been shown to improve speech understanding, particularly in noise, and to increase the aesthetic quality of sound, almost nothing is known about the physiological mechanisms underlying these benefits. The broad aim of our project is to address this deficiency by measuring the patterns of neural activity evoked by speech sounds across the tonotopic axis in the inferior colliculus and auditory cortex and assess the extent to which the pattern of neural activity allows discrimination between the different speech sounds.Read moreRead less
Future neural electrodes: probing the electrical activity of nerves using 3D graphene networks. This research aims to develop a totally new type of neural electrode that will for the first time, allow reliable and long-term stimulation and recording. The approach incorporates graphene based biomaterials with tunable electrical and biological properties within supportive three-dimensional cellular microenvironments, greatly enhancing the electrical interactions between cells and the electrode. Th ....Future neural electrodes: probing the electrical activity of nerves using 3D graphene networks. This research aims to develop a totally new type of neural electrode that will for the first time, allow reliable and long-term stimulation and recording. The approach incorporates graphene based biomaterials with tunable electrical and biological properties within supportive three-dimensional cellular microenvironments, greatly enhancing the electrical interactions between cells and the electrode. The electrical properties of nerve cells will be probed using our three-dimensional graphene network, providing insight into the the brain-machine interface. This project is important as it directly addresses the inherent limitations of current electrode designs.Read moreRead less
Neural Activity Shaping for Retinal and Cochlear Implants. This project aims to develop methods to control and optimise the spatial patterns of neural activity evoked by neural prostheses in order to improve the resolution of neuroprostheses. A major problem for neural prostheses is that the electrical current used to stimulate neurons causes a diffuse spread of activity in the neural tissue, which limits the resolution of the device. For patients this translates into limitations in sound qualit ....Neural Activity Shaping for Retinal and Cochlear Implants. This project aims to develop methods to control and optimise the spatial patterns of neural activity evoked by neural prostheses in order to improve the resolution of neuroprostheses. A major problem for neural prostheses is that the electrical current used to stimulate neurons causes a diffuse spread of activity in the neural tissue, which limits the resolution of the device. For patients this translates into limitations in sound quality, in the case of cochlea implants, or visual acuity, for retinal implants. The outcome of the project will be algorithms that optimally choose the currents on each electrode so as to shape neural activity at the finer resolution of electrode spacing rather than the coarser resolution of current spread.Read moreRead less
Ultra-low fouling active surfaces. This project aims to develop chemistries and fabrication approaches through innovative materials evaluation to develop ultra-low fouling active electrode surfaces. Development of ultra-low fouling surfaces will have significant impact in a range of applications where system or device failure is attributed to fouling. The growing field of bionics, where implantable electronic devices interface directly with the nervous system, is one such device. The expected ou ....Ultra-low fouling active surfaces. This project aims to develop chemistries and fabrication approaches through innovative materials evaluation to develop ultra-low fouling active electrode surfaces. Development of ultra-low fouling surfaces will have significant impact in a range of applications where system or device failure is attributed to fouling. The growing field of bionics, where implantable electronic devices interface directly with the nervous system, is one such device. The expected outcomes will be an understanding of the material requirements that lead to the elimination of protein and cell accumulation at surfaces that degrades the performance and lifetime of these implants. The findings will benefit any application where fouling is a problem.Read moreRead less
Improved effectiveness of cochlear implants through new simultaneous stimulation techniques. Cochlear implants have brought the gift of hearing to 250,000 people worldwide and are an excellent example of Australian innovation. This project will examine an improved "high fidelity" stimulation strategy with the objective of defining a safe stimulus range for clinical use and providing a commercial advantage for Cochlear Ltd.
A novel approach to diffusion MRI for greatly improved imaging of brain white matter and its connectivity. In this project, innovative new imaging and reconstruction techniques will be developed to provide images of brain connectivity, with unprecedented detail. Such images will allow extremely detailed investigations into the white matter connections that allow brain regions to communicate, and improve our understanding of how the brain operates.
Industrial Transformation Training Centres - Grant ID: IC170100030
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$4,133,659.00
Summary
ARC Training Centre in Cognitive Computing for Medical Technologies. The ARC Training Centre in Cognitive Computing for Medical Technologies aims to create a workforce that is expert in developing, applying and interrogating cognitive computing technologies in data-intensive medical contexts. This will facilitate the next generation of data-driven and machine learning-based medical technologies. The Centre will provide a world-class industry-driven research training environment for PhD students ....ARC Training Centre in Cognitive Computing for Medical Technologies. The ARC Training Centre in Cognitive Computing for Medical Technologies aims to create a workforce that is expert in developing, applying and interrogating cognitive computing technologies in data-intensive medical contexts. This will facilitate the next generation of data-driven and machine learning-based medical technologies. The Centre will provide a world-class industry-driven research training environment for PhD students and postdoctoral researchers. These researchers will lead the medical technology industry into a new era of data-driven personalised and precision medical devices and applications. The Centre will result in the development of capabilities in the core technologies of machine learning and the practical application of cognitive computing in the area of health.Read moreRead less