EXTEND · Project

Injectable Wireless Implants That Read and Stimulate Nerves to Treat Tremor and Paralysis

healthTestedTRL 6

Imagine tiny devices, small enough to be injected like a vaccine, that can listen to your nerves and talk back to them wirelessly. Right now, treating conditions like Parkinson's tremor or spinal cord injuries often means big surgeries with wires poking through the skin. EXTEND built a network of these injectable micro-implants that work together — like a team of tiny sensors spread across your muscles — to detect unwanted movements and send corrective signals back through the nerves. They tested sterilized versions in humans to prove the concept actually works.

By the numbers

ASIC implants manufactured

100

pre-ASIC implant circuits with EMG capabilities produced

sterilized implants prepared for human feasibility trials

injectable implants for animal experimentation

external systems for animal experiments

portable units for human trials

desktop units for human trials

consortium partners across 5 countries

The business problem

What needed solving

Millions of people with Parkinson's, essential tremor, or spinal cord injuries have limited treatment options because current neural implants require complex open surgery and wired connections through the skin. This makes treatment risky, expensive, and inaccessible to many patients. Hospitals and device companies need minimally invasive alternatives that can be implanted simply and communicate wirelessly.

The solution

What was built

The project built injectable wireless neural implants — 50 ASIC-based and 100 pre-ASIC units — along with 30 sterilized implants ready for human trials, 3 desktop and 3 portable external interface systems, and a full bidirectional communication system tested in humans. They also created the NeuroInterface Hub online platform for the neural interface community.

Audience

Who needs this

Neurostimulation device manufacturers (e.g. Medtronic, Boston Scientific, Abbott Neuromodulation)Rehabilitation robotics and exoskeleton companiesParkinson's disease and movement disorder clinicsSpinal cord injury rehabilitation centersNeural interface and brain-computer interface startups

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Medical devices

enterprise

Target: Neurostimulation device manufacturer

If you are a neurostimulation company dealing with the surgical complexity of current implantable systems — this project developed injectable wireless implants with 100 pre-ASIC circuits and 50 ASIC-based implants that enable distributed nerve stimulation without open surgery. The system was tested with 30 sterilized units prepared for human proof-of-concept trials, offering a minimally invasive alternative to your existing product line.

Rehabilitation robotics

mid-size

Target: Assistive exoskeleton or wearable robot company

If you are a rehabilitation robotics company struggling to get reliable nerve signals to control your wearable devices — this project built a bidirectional communication system connecting multiple injectable implants to external devices including 3 portable units. The technology reads neuromuscular activity to drive assistive robots for spinal cord injury patients, replacing clunky surface sensors with implanted wireless ones.

Pharmaceutical and clinical research

any

Target: Contract research organization or Parkinson's disease clinic network

If you are a clinical organization managing tremor in Parkinson's or essential tremor patients and current deep brain stimulation is too invasive for many candidates — this project demonstrated injectable implants tested in a network of 4 intramuscular electrode units with human testing. The technology could expand your patient pool by offering a less invasive neurostimulation option with bidirectional sensing and stimulation.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to license or integrate this implant technology?

The project does not publish licensing fees or unit costs. However, manufacturing runs included 100 pre-ASIC circuits and 50 ASIC implants, suggesting the technology has moved beyond one-off lab prototypes. Pricing would need to be negotiated directly with the consortium coordinator (CSIC, Spain).

Can this scale to industrial manufacturing volumes?

The project produced batches of 50 ASIC implants and 100 pre-ASIC circuits, plus 30 sterilized units for human trials. These are small-batch numbers typical of late-stage R&D, not mass production. Scaling to commercial volumes would require a manufacturing partner and regulatory clearance.

Who owns the intellectual property and how can we access it?

The project was funded under Horizon 2020 as a Research and Innovation Action, meaning IP typically stays with the consortium partners who generated it. The coordinator is CSIC (Spain's national research council). Licensing discussions would go through them or through the specific partner that developed the component you need.

Has this been tested in real patients or only in the lab?

Yes, human testing was part of the project plan. The consortium prepared 30 sterilized implants specifically for human proof-of-concept trials and demonstrated a bidirectional communication system with final testing in humans. Animal experiments were completed earlier using 30 injectable implants and 4 external systems.

What regulatory approvals does this technology have?

Based on available project data, the implants were sterilized and prepared for human feasibility trials, which implies ethics committee and regulatory body approval for those specific trials. Full CE marking or FDA clearance for commercial sale would still be needed and is not indicated in the project data.

How does this integrate with existing hospital or rehab equipment?

The system includes both 3 desktop units and 3 portable external units that interface with the injectable implants. The project also developed software and hardware for communication across a network of implants, suggesting the external systems could potentially interface with existing clinical monitoring setups.

Is there ongoing support or a follow-up project?

The project ended in June 2022. The consortium created the NeuroInterface Hub web platform and social media accounts to sustain the community around implanted neural interfaces. For current status and post-project developments, contacting the coordinator directly is recommended.

Consortium

Who built it

The EXTEND consortium brings together 9 partners from 5 countries (Germany, Spain, Iceland, UK, US), coordinated by Spain's CSIC — one of Europe's largest public research bodies. With 2 industry partners and 1 SME (22% industry ratio), the consortium is research-heavy, which is typical for deep-tech medical device development at this stage. The international spread including the US is notable for a Horizon 2020 project and suggests global ambitions for the technology. For a business looking to license or co-develop, the mix of 3 research organizations and 2 universities means strong scientific depth, while the 2 industry partners indicate some commercial grounding in manufacturing and system integration.

AGENCIA ESTATAL CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICASCoordinator · ES
UNIVERSIDAD POMPEU FABRAparticipant · ES
IMPERIAL COLLEGE OF SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND MEDICINEparticipant · UK
SERVICIO DE SALUD DE CASTILLA LA MANCHAparticipant · ES
EMBLA MEDICAL HFparticipant · IS
SERVICIO MADRILENO DE SALUDparticipant · ES
TECHNAID SLparticipant · ES

How to reach the team

CSIC (Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas), Spain — contact through their technology transfer office or the project website

Order a report on this consortium See AGENCIA ESTATAL CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want an introduction to the EXTEND team? SciTransfer can connect you with the right consortium partner for your specific application — whether you need the implant technology, the communication system, or the external interface units.

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