News

New Engineering Center Highlights Biomimetic Systems One of the most significant trends in the neurotechnology field in recent years has been the development of “biomimetic” electronic systems that emulate the function of biological neural systems. Such an approach not only offers the promise of building a new generation of neural prostheses, neurosensors, and other devices, it also opens the possi…

Looking Back, Looking Forward As 2003 comes to an end, it’s useful to look back on the events of the last year to see what progress we’ve made. In the process, this editor could not resist the temptation to single out a few individuals and organizations for special recognition. The result is the somewhat impromptu “Gold Electrode” Awards (that just sounded better than “Iridium Electrode Awards”), which are itemized in the article to the right.

Putting Thought into Action The enormous media attention acquired last month University for his paper on a monkey’s cortical control of a robot arm is both confounding and promising (see article on thought-controlled devices, p1). Anyone who’s been following the field of brain-computer interfaces knows that several research institutions, including teams at Caltech, Brown, Arizona State, Michigan, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and elsewhere have been conducting similar experiments for years.

A Commercialization Message What’s it going to take to bring commercial success to the neurotechnology industry? This is a question that many in this field, including this publication’s editors, have pondered for some time. Now a relative newcomer to the field, Samuel Hall, has devoted a considerable amount of effort to answering the question [see article, p1]. Hall, who works as a financial analys…

Analyst Probes Commercialization of Neuroprostheses A financial analyst with Citigroup’s SmithBarney unit has authored a detailed report that examines the factors impeding commercial development of neural prostheses. The analyst, Sam Hall, originally wrote the report as a thesis while he was a molecular biology student at Princeton University. The publication is highly critical of government polici…

Neurotech Reports to Publish Neurotechnology Desk Reference in 2004 Neurotech Reports, the publisher of Neurotech Business Report, will distribute a Neurotechnology Desk Reference in 2004 that lists products and vendors and vendors in several key areas of neurostimulation and neurodiagnostics devices. The new publication, with target circulation of 16,000 clinicians specializing in neurotechnology devices, will be the first advertiser supported publication produced .

Walking Around the Obstacles The effort to build and market a neural prosthesis that restores walking to individuals paralyzed never been easy. In case it’s not difficult enough to solve the engineering problems involved with designing a multichannel, multisite stimulation system that replicates physiological processes that are still not fully understood, research teams and commercial ventures must confront naysayers within their own ranks and unbelievers within the clinical communities and the public at large.

Neuro Devices Find Their Place in Surgical Market , senior financial editor and James Cavuoto, editor Neurotechnology devices such as implanted deep-brain stimulation (DBS) systems and spinal cord stimulation systems have delivered a wealth of new therapeutic advances to clinicians in neurological and neurosurgical specialties. In recent years, manufacturers of neurosurgical equipment have returned the favor, developing devices that improve the process of implanting neurostimulation systems.

Delivering the Stimulation For better or worse, manufacturers of neurotechnology devices have a strong dependence on their colleagues in the neurosurgical equipment business, as we discuss in our article on page 1 of this issue. This is particularly true for manufacturers of deep-brain stimulation systems, for several reasons. First, no matter how well designed and well tested the system is, if the…

Neurotechnology CEOs to Make Case for Funding at 2003 Leaders Forum The CEOs and founders of several start-up and more established neurotechnology firms are preparing to present their case for investment and business partnerships during the 2003 Neurotech Leaders Forum in San Francisco, CA on September 9. The entrepreneurs and executives are expected to argue that the climate is right for neurotechnology investment and that the market opportunities created are well served .