Medical Engineering & Neuroprosthetics

The core competences in the area Medical Engineering & Neuroprosthetics lie in the fields of development, manufacturing and application of intelligent, implantable assistance systems including complex health information systems. It thus offers the whole range, from the implantable microelectrode, right up to IKT infrastructures, whereby this overall offer also covers Regulatory Affairs including a development-accompanying risk management system. All of the necessary technologies and laboratories are available.

The focus in the field of Neuromonitoring lies in device technology and methodology for the measurement, conditioning and transmission of bioelectric potentials. This also includes vital parameters that can be influenced by neuronal structures (e. g. temperature, blood pressure, breathing, eye movements, skin conductance etc.). This gives rise to questions in the area of sensors, signal processing, data transmission and signal analysis. Another approach involves the use of suitable stimulators to build up closed-loop systems. This will allow the development of different energy-autonomous, distributed actuators and sensors, for example for the vigilance analysis of pilots on long-distance flights (KF2267414GM2) or for intraoperative neuromonitoring (01EZ0722).

The research work in the field of Neuroprosthetics includes the development, manufacturing and characterization of implantable microelectrodes, whose use will open up new fields in neuroprosthetics. The use of microsystems technology allows the production of ultralight, flexible microimplants made of biocompatible materials for multicontacting of nerves and for the control of implantable assistance systems. The experts developed, for example, interfaces for the stimulation of the retina (01IN501H4), and of the vestibular system (EU225929) as well as for bidirectional applications for the intuitive motor control of hand prostheses including sensor feedback (16SV3697).

The focusin the field of silicone technology lies in the optimization and functionalization of PDMS structures, This will make actuators and sensors for medical engineering possible with completely new properties and applications. Examples of this include all-polymer electrodes, whose optimized mechanical properties make them especially suitable for use in the musculature (16SV5367).