We have the technology to dramatically increase the independence of people with spinal-cord injuries. The problem is bringing it to market and keeping it there. One night in 1982, John Mumford was working on an avalanche patrol on an icy Colorado mountain pass when the van carrying him and two other men slid off the…
Addressing regulators, members of industry, and other stakeholders, Jennifer French delivered a powerful message about those requiring brain–computer interface (BCI) devices to treat paralysis and other neurological conditions: “We are not patients; we are consumers, end users.” French, who is quadriplegic, spoke at a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) workshop, held Nov. 21 at…
Cleveland, OH – October 29, 2014 State of the FES Center 2014 presented by Robert F. Kirsch, PhD, Executive Director Click here to download the full presentation.
Electrical currents are being used to help control the movement of otherwise paralyzed limbs.Dr. Robert Kirsch, Executive Director of the FES (Functional Electrical Stimulation) Center joins Michael & Maureen to discuss more about this amazing technique and just how beneficial the treatment can be! Watch Presentation…
When you prick your finger, what you feel is a consequence of activity in the brain, not the finger itself. Biomedical engineers using this concept are leading an evolution in protheses that help the estimated 2 million Americans who suffer from limb loss to “feel” their missing limbs again. This emerging field of devices for…
A type of artificial platelet being developed to help natural blood platelets form clots faster offers promise for saving the lives of soldiers, as well as victims of car crashes and other severe trauma. In preclinical tests led by a Case Western Reserve University researcher, the artificial platelets, called “hemostatic nanoparticles,” when injected after blast…
Prior to sustaining a spinal cord injury in 1998, Jennifer French was, among other sports, an active snowboarder and skier, sailor, fly fisher, and scuba diver. Today, thanks to her neurostimulation implants, she still is. In 1999 French became the first woman to receive the Stand and Transfer implant system created by the Cleveland Functional…
In the future, a woman with a spinal cord injury could make a full recovery; a baby with a weak heart could pump his own blood. How close are we today to the bold promise of bionics—and could this technology be used to improve normal human functions, as well as to repair us? Join Bill…
The intersection of engineering and medicine is a sweet spot called neuromodulation, which involves electronic implants that can restore movement and body functions. In the center of this research—and particularly in the field of functional electrical stimulation (FES)—is Hunter Peckham, Ph.D., an FES pioneer who recognized a need for engineering in medicine, and developing devices…
The widely reported iPad-based app that tests athletes for concussions after they take a big hit in football or other sports epitomizes Jay Alberts’ work integrating engineering principles and measurement techniques into clinical practice. Known as the Cleveland Clinic Concussion Assessment System, or C3 for short, the app allows consumer devices to be used anywhere…