Technology

• Customer-specific design, fabrication and characterization of flexible implantable microelectrodes made of polyimide with varying shape (e.g. cuff, shaft, sieve, thread, array) and application (e.g. peripheral nerve, ECoG, retina, vestibular nerve, muscles)
• Coating of electrode surfaces for impedance reduction and increase of charge injection capacity
• Evaluation of long-term reliability of implants (encapsulation materials, electrode layers and tracks)
• Hybrid assembly and encapsulation of biomedical microimplants
• Mask design of 2D and 3 D microelectrodes
• Fabrication of microimplants with integrated electronics
• Development of dry surface electrodes including material tests and investigations of the transmission behavior
• Design and fabrication of recording and stimulation circuits and set-up of external and implantable electrostimulators
• Encapsulation of arbitrary structures and geometries with parylene
• Rapid prototyping (3D printer, 3D scanner)
• Development and fabrication of autonomous distributed sensors and actuators

Methodology

• 3D motion analysis for detection of dysfunctions and malpositions of the musculoskeletal system
• Eye-tracking for usability investigations and reading behavior (high-speed and helmet-based system)
• Acquisition and analysis of eye movements, gaze direction and fixation duration for different applications (e.g. while driving a vehicle, advertisement, design)
• Development of methods and devices for clinical neurophysiology and psychology including new methods for signal analysis, e.g. online-beat-to-beat detection of pulse transit time, heart rate variability etc.
• System design of neuroprostheses
• Thermography for technical and biological purposes
• Vigilance investigations and acquisition of emotions in the driving simulator
• Investigation of implant materials under physiological conditions and accelerated aging
• Development of biotelemetry for implant control
• Development of stimulation patterns, recording systems, material tests
• Characterization of microelectrodes, material properties of surface electrodes, long-term behavior of surface electrodes

Consultance

• Advice on biocompatible coating and encapsulation materials (polyimide, parylene, silicone) and organic electrode materials
• Technical support for electrophysiological in vitro, in vivo and human measurements
• Investigations on functional electrical stimulation on the peripheral nerve
• Implant technology and creation of implant tools for microimplants
• Risk management, quality control and proof of biocompatibility and long-term stability
• Preparation and support of clinical studies