Biomedical electronics and photonics
Includes biomimetics, biomedical microelectronic systems, neural interfaces, and medical instrumentation
- Intelligent biomimetic systems and biomedical microelectronic system platforms are the foundation of all biomedical electronics. If we can establish a platform that meets strict certification requirements, we can drastically shorten the development time for biomedical electronic components and accelerate industrial development. Therefore, the curriculum and research team, is planning to develop skills needed to build an electronics platform. In addition, miniaturizing items onto a single chip with built-in wireless capabilities is also planned, along with goals for seeking certifications. At present, an epilepsy animal model has been selected. Development of a single implantable chip system and assessment of its functionality and safety are underway. In the future, system integration and miniaturization are planned so that it can be used in humans. Such systems would be able to cure numerous nervous system disorders that to date have defied treatment such as epilepsy, pain syndromes, severe depression, Parkinson disease, Alzheimer disease, etc. Finally, our school has already had great breakthroughs in the development of artificial retina chips. It is hoped that these chips could be directly implanted within the eye. By replacing the light-sensitive cells of the retina, sight could be restored to the blind.
- Neural interfaces include connecting the human nervous system and electric or magnetic systems within and without the body. Examples include the electronic ear, deep-brain (electric) stimulation, spinal (electric) stimulation, transcranial (magnetic) stimulation, etc. Our school's research team has studied the interface between electrodes and nerves. The introduction of an electric current, was used to treat diseases of the the human nervous system by stimulating it. By introducing high-precision electric stimulation, the electronic ear has been verified to allow its user to differentiate among 300 pitches, which exceeds the previous record by a factor of 2.5. According to patients, we are the world leader in implantable personal medical electronic devices that replace a defect in the nervous system.
- Medical equipment. Includes rehabilitation engineering. Medical equipment is one of the principal points of national development. It is necessary to combine the needs of the patient with our university's superior engineering skills and research capabilities. A combination of areas including structural design, mechanics, signals acquisition and analysis, image analysis, and systems controls is needed to develop such. Areas of application include neurosurgery, guided surgery, laparoscopic surgical equipment, rehabilitation robots, orthopedic surgery, dental implants, etc.