Visual Prosthesis Market
Visual Prosthesis Market May Follow Uncharted Path Several recent developments from research teams and commercial developers working on visual prostheses have raised hopes and investor interest in retinal implants and other strategies for restoring vision to blind individuals. But a long road of testing, product cycles, clinician acceptance, and reimbursement issues awaits players in this market segment.
Rehabilitation Institute
Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago Develops Robotic Walking Aid The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago has introduced a new technology, known as Lokomat, that may help people with spinal cord injury regain lower limb locomotion. The device consists of a powered exoskeleton robot that delivers power to the hip and knee joints while the user’s upper-body weight is supported over a treadmill. Dr. Da…
Relying on Progress
The hardware problems with deep brain stimulation electrodes reported colleagues at the University of Toronto represent a temporary setback for the neurostimulation industry. The problems they encountered, though widespread, in no way diminish the promise and the value of DBS therapy for Parkinson’s Disease and other movement disorders. Indeed, as we discuss in our article, identification of the sp…
Advanced Bionics Founder Seeks to Commercialize FES Technology
Neurotechnology entrepreneur and philanthropist Alfred Mann, the founder of Advanced Bionics, Second Sight Ltd., and other stimulation device manufacturers, may be looking at functional electrical stimulation as one of his next product development directions. In a recent interview with Neurotech Business Report, Mann voiced his support for building FES systems to treat paralysis caused stroke. Mann…
The Best of Years, the Worst of Years
The Best of Years, the Worst of Years As 2002 comes to a close, the neurotechnology industry can look back on another paradoxical year—a year filled with exceptional triumphs in technology developments and depressing financial and economic news from the commercial enterprises in the field. This issue’s Financial News [p3] offers an example: staff reductions at Aspect Medical and Axon, flat sales at Bio-logic Systems, and the demise of Symphonix.
Control Science and Engineering
Control Science and Engineering One of the most promising areas of neurotechnology research in recent years has been brain-computer interfaces and cortical control of neural prostheses. This field has attracted much attention from the media, funding agencies, and scientific researchers and there are now a number of institutions performing research, generally using primates. As it turns out, there are those who feel that not all of the attention has been fully appropriate.
New NIH SPARC funding spurs bioelectronic medicine
In recent weeks, the National Institutes of Health has awarded millions of dollars in funding to research institutions and commercial firms pursuing novel bioelectronic medicine therapies and diagnostics. The NIH’s SPARC program (Stimulating Peripheral Activity to Relieve Conditions) has been instrumental in funding the early development of the bioelectronic medicine industry. In Phase 1 of the pro…
NeuroVentures Capital Profile
NeuroVentures Capital Specializes in Funding Neuroscience Firms NeuroVentures Capital cannot boast having as large a fund or as well known a name as some of the Sand Hill Rd. firms on the west coast. But the Virginia-based firm can claim to be the largest, and perhaps the only VC firm to target the neuro space exclusively. NeuroVentures management includes two professionals with a well meshed combination of skills and experience.
Publishers Letter – The Force Within Us Christopher Reeve’s relationship with the media has proven to be something of a double-edged sword f
The Force Within Us Christopher Reeve’s relationship with the media has proven to be something of a double-edged sword for neurotechnology professionals, as we discuss in our accompanying article. While Reeve has given a lot of credit to his activity-based rehabilitation, which includes functional electrical stimulation sessions, he has never been as strong an advocate for neural prostheses as he h…
What a Difference a Year Makes
What a Difference a Year Makes In many respects, it seems like several years have gone Business Report in September 2001. In the days before September 11, there was a significant media and industry interest that accompanied the launch of this publication and our newly published market research report on the market for neurotechnology. Unfortunately, our moment in the sun was scarcely longer than Andy Warhol’s prescribed 15 minutes.