Implantable electrodes for long-term recording and stimulation of neural tissue

Experimental methods and computational modelling are being combined to design a new generation of electrodes for long-term recording and stimulation of neural tissue. The aim is to match the mechanical and material properties of the electrode to the tissue in which it is implanted.

The new design is expected to overcome major limitations associated with currently available interfaces, including variability in the current delivered during stimulation and a degradation in the quality of the recorded signals over time. Thus, the new technology should allow greater stability of neural stimulation and recording.

This project is funded by Science Foundation Ireland through the Cúram centre designing the next generation of medical devices. Over the course of the project, this will involve a post-doctoral researcher and a PhD student, working with Professor Madeleine Lowery in UCD and Dr Manus Biggs in NUI Galway.