Imagine a tiny, wireless remote control for the brain. Instead of invasive surgery, this tech uses special nano-materials and ultrasound to nudge specific brain cells back into a healthy rhythm. It's like using a precision tuner to fix a radio signal that has gone fuzzy due to a stroke or epilepsy.
Current treatments for neurological disorders like stroke and epilepsy lack the spatial precision to target specific neurons without invasive surgery. There is a critical need for wireless, non-invasive tools that can restore brain rhythms.
The project is building magnetoelectric nanoarchitectures for magnetic stimulation, CMUT-based ultrasonic transducers, and graphene microtransistors for brain activity recording.
If you are a neural interface developer dealing with the limitations of invasive electrodes — this project developed magnetoelectric nanoarchitectures that allow wireless, high-resolution brain stimulation. This reduces the need for bulky implants and improves spatial precision from single neurons to cortical areas.
If you are a research firm dealing with the difficulty of mapping brain activity during treatment — this project developed graphene microtransistors for full-band recording. This allows for a closed-loop system where stimulation and recording happen simultaneously to optimize therapy.
If you are an equipment provider dealing with the lack of non-invasive tools for stroke or epilepsy recovery — this project developed CMUT-based ultrasonic stimulation. This provides a minimally invasive alternative to restore physiological brain activity patterns.
Based on available project data, the specific unit cost is not provided, but the EU is contributing EUR 3,457,905 to the development phase.
The consortium includes two industry partners, one of whom has worldwide distribution capability and expertise in fabricating brain interface devices, suggesting a path to industrial scale.
Based on available project data, a detailed dissemination and exploitation plan is being developed by two expert company partners to manage the transition to market.
The project includes clinical partners to evaluate the potential for human translation and ensure the tools meet clinical needs for treating stroke and neurodegeneration.
The current research period runs from 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31, focusing on pre-clinical systems and human translation planning.
The consortium is well-balanced for a deep-tech project, consisting of 8 partners across 5 countries. With a 25% industry ratio (2 companies), it bridges the gap between high-level research (4 research centers, 2 universities) and commercialization. Notably, the inclusion of a partner with worldwide distribution capabilities for brain interfaces significantly lowers the barrier to market entry.
Contact Fundacio de Recerca Clinica Barcelona-Institut d'Investigacions Biomediques August Pi i Sunyer
Contact SciTransfer to connect with the META-BRAIN industrial partners for licensing opportunities.
