The goal set forth in this project was to build a miniature device to stimulate nerve and brain tissue electrically, and to work towards commercialization of such a device. The device would be targeted for use in animal research on neurostimulation therapies. Such therapies are currently used for treating Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor, back pain, incontinence and other serious conditions. There is a lot of research going on in expanding the use of this technique towards other diseases. However, a small wearable device for multichannel stimulation needed for testing on freely moving animals is not available commercially. As it sometimes goes with research we ended up somewhere else as planned: while doing the study, another possible application, the use in a visual prosthesis, began to seem more attractive. Next to attracting follow-up academic project, this has even very recently resulted in a spin-off company that will pursue this concept further.
