BrainCom

BrainCom is a collaborative research project that aims at developing a new generation of neuro-prosthetic devices for large-scale and high density recording and stimulation of the human cortex, suitable to explore and repair high-level cognitive functions. Since one of the most invalidating neuropsychological conditions is arguably the impossibility to communicate with others, BrainCom primarily focuses on the restoration of speech and communication in aphasic patients suffering from upper spinal cord, brainstem, or brain damage. To target broadly distributed neural systems, such as the language network, BrainCom will use novel electronic technologies based on nanomaterials to design ultra-flexible cortical and intracortical implants adapted to large-scale high-density recording and stimulation.

With the help of MCS, the consortium will develop electronic technologies for brain mapping to record from large number of active sites over large areas of the cortex. MCS provides expertise in the fields of small, discrete electronics to connect, bias, and acquire the signals from the newly developed active electrode arrays, wirelessly, which facilitates freely moving in vivo experiments in the early stages of the project. This also includes the development of purpose-built soft- and firmware. In the later stage of the project MCS will develop advanced data management strategies to collect and record the large amount of data.