ES6: Can we rebuild them? bionics beyond 2010

Abstract

The terms “bionics” and “neuroprosthesis” understandably capture the engineers' imagination. Oftentimes, however, this fascination results more from science fiction than actual facts on the reality of unmet clinical needs and the real technical issues of designing a bionic system. Yet not all work in this field is sci-fi, and engineers working with clinical researchers and scientists have realized several milestones in the treatment of chronic diseases. Perhaps the most successful example of a bionic system is the cochlear prosthesis, which has helped restore a measure of hearing in over 150,000 patients, so far. Another active field is neuromodulation, where neurostimulators targeting specific neural circuits are being applied as a therapy for a variety of diseases including Parkinson's disease, incontinence, and obsessive compulsive disorder. Clearly, in the proper context, interfacing silicon circuits to the patients' neural circuits may achieve profound effects.