We tailor designs to develop application-specific neuroelectronic interfaces, matching the anatomy of various neural targets, including the brain, retina, and peripheral nerves. Design customization ensures optimal performance across species and anatomical structures. While the brain cortex is several millimetres thick, the retina is only a few hundred micrometers. Peripheral nerves vary widely in size, ranging from a few micrometers to several millimetres.

We are currently working on the development of visual prostheses for vision restoration, which includes the design, fabrication, characterization, and testing of intraretinal, intracortical, and cortical implants. Additionally, we are working on multichannel peripheral nerve probes aimed at advancing microneurography to better understand and treat neuropathic pain. Together with medical doctors, neuroscientists, and engineers we investigate new implantation techniques and carry out functional testing of the devices in a pre-clinical phase.

Visual prosthetics

Degenerative retinal diseases, such as retinitis pigmentosa and macular degeneration, affect millions worldwide, causing progressive vision loss due to photoreceptor cell death. Our goal is to restore visual perception in the blind by replacing the function of lost photoreceptors with dense electrode arrays. These arrays provide electrical stimulation to surviving neurons. To overcome the limitations of first-generation visual prostheses, together with our research collaborators, we introduced the BiMEA (bidirectional microelectrode array) concept. This utilizes multi-electrode penetrating implants that can simultaneously record and stimulate at different tissue depths, enabling bidirectional communication and closed-loop feedback control. We are currently developing prosthetic devices targeting both the retina and the visual cortex, each presenting unique integration challenges. Effective retinal stimulation necessitates entirely flexible, high-density 3D neural implants that conform to the retina's curvature. To this end, we have developed kirigami-based implants, constructed by simultaneously folding numerous thin polymeric threads to achieve a 3D topology in a scalable manner. At the same time, we are developing novel insertion techniques to achieve large-scale implantation of neural devices into deeper layers of the cortex.

Peripheral nerve probes

Pain, defined as an uncomfortable sensation associated with actual or potential tissue damage, affects over 20% of the global population in the form of chronic pain. Due to its diverse and complex causes, no universal cure exists, making the study of chronic pain particularly challenging. Currently, microneurography (MNG) is the only technique that allows direct access to nerve fibres in awake individuals, providing critical insights into nerve signal transmission and the mechanisms of chronic pain. Traditional MNG employs tungsten needles with a single electrical contact to record the electrical activity of individual nerve fibres. However, this approach has limitations: it is time-intensive, uncomfortable for the subject who must remain still during the procedure, and restricted to recording from only a few fibres at a time due to its single-site configuration.

To address the limitations of current techniques and improve the spatial resolution of peripheral nerve recordings, we are developing multichannel peripheral nerve probes (PNPs). These probes are designed for percutaneous access to peripheral nerves, similar to microneurography (MNG) needles, but with a significant enhancement: they incorporate up to 32 microelectrodes. This allows for the simultaneous recording and characterization of activity from multiple nerve fibres. By analysing the functional responses of these fibres, we aim to gain a deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying pain perception.