News

Brain Projects to Reap Dividends for Neurotech Firms In much the same way that the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries have benefited from the ambitious efforts to map the human genome, work underway at several private corporations and research institutions to map the functional connections of the human nervous system may well prove fruitful for the neurotechnology industry. While our under…

When radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh announced to the world that he had lost his hearing, many of his listeners and supporters were understandably saddened. Today, Limbaugh’s recovery resulting from his cochlear implant is cause for celebration, not only among the listening public, but the neural prostheses community [see article, this issue]. But as we revel in the success, it’s worth reflectin…

Christopher Reeve’s Media Presence a Mixed Blessing for FES Researchers Renewed media attention to Christopher Reeve, the actor/director who became paralyzed , has presented a rare flash of publicity to functional electrical stimulation researchers. But not all the attention is focused on areas of great promise in the treatment of SCI and some of the information being disseminated is scientifically unproven or questionable.

Political leaders in Washington D.C. are currently at odds over the shape of an economic stimulus to get the U.S. economy back on its feet. Republicans want a stimulus package that includes sizeable tax rebates to corporations, arguing that this leads to job creation. Democrats want a stimulus package that includes sizeable benefits for unemployed people and for lower- and middle-income taxpayers, arguing for compassion.

Ion Channels Offer Possible Biotech/Neurotech Synergy , senior technical editor, and James Cavuoto, editor Since the beginning of the neurotechnology industry, the field has defined itself with electronic devices to stimulate or record from neural tissue. The biotech industry, by contrast, has defined itself with chemical and genetic engineering methods of modulating the behavior of cells, tissues, and organs.

NeuroControl Exit Leaves Hole in Spinal Injury Market The market for functional electrical stimulation and neural prostheses was dealt a shock recently when NeuroControl Corp. announced that it would no longer market products targeted at persons with spinal cord injury, and will instead concentrate on products for treating stroke. The decision, which came in the wake of significant staff reductions…

Neurotech Leaders Forum Brings Together Investors and Entrepreneurs Nearly 60 neurotechnology executives and financial professionals met in San Francisco on October 3 to discuss a number of management and funding issues confronting the industry at the Second Annual Neurotech Leaders Forum. The event was sponsored , with platinum sponsorship from Quallion, LLC. In a well received keynote address, Wa…

There is a wealth of good news in our report on the outlook for venture capital funding for neurotechnology firms. Our report indicates that VC firms actively involved with the healthcare and biomedical industries are very receptive to funding neurotech start-ups. Although the amount of funding for manufacturers of neurodiagnostic and neurostimulation firms has to date been dwarfed biotech, genomic, and pharmaceutical firms, there are finally signs that this situation is about to change.

The electroencephalograph, or EEG, has been the boon and the bane of neuroscientists and bioengineers for decades. Scientists have scoured strip chart recordings for any clue of neurophysiological function. Engineers have studied the “inverse problem” of localizing within the skull the source of electrical potentials measured at the scalp. Clinicians have compared patients’ EEG data with healthy subjects in an effort to uncover what’s wrong with an individual.

Brainwave Sensor Touted as Tool in Counter-Terrorism An Iowa firm called Brain Fingerprinting Laboratories, Inc., is positioning its EEG-based brain-state analysis system as a potential tool in the fight against terrorism. The device, consisting of a headband sensor, EEG amplifier, and computer-based signal processor, attempts to detect whether a subject or suspect has had prior association with specific words, images, or other stimuli.