Microelectronic recording and neuroscience technology
www.alphaomega-eng.com
1. Assistance in the development of automatic navigation tools, based on physiological signals recorded from multi contact electrodes
2. Explore the development in Epilepsy research and trends and define the next generation products
Skills required: students from the following fields:
- Deep Brain Stimulation
- Extracellular recording
- Neural stimulation
- EEG and evoked potentials
Three months based projects (600 hours one student or two students each 300 hours):
3. Software:
A real time de-noising embedded sortware for an extracellular recording system to remove the network noise or other noise in real time:
During extracellular recording of single unit, multi unit or LFP activities external noise can enter the recording channels, such a noise is usually repetitive in its nature or can even be phased to certain events (e.g. 50 Hz net noise, or stimulation induces artefacts), this noise will in plenty of cases limit our ability to utilize the recorded signals correctly. In this project one or two students will develop a real time tool running on DSP (TI 6474) that will remove noise from the recording, cleaning the raw recorded data before it is streamed into the system for further processing. The implementation will be based onMatlab algorithms already used in different settings.
Students that are interested need to have the following skills: Matlab, C/C++ and optionally basic knowledge in electrophysiology
4. Software:
Real time microelectrode recording signals montage (digital referencing,…etc)
Sometimes during recoding of electrophysiological signals, like EEG, LFP, single unit, signals montage is needed in real time, for example subtraction of two signals or more from different areas in real time. In this project students will develop and implement a real time montage algorithm, processing signals from a high channel count system that involves EEG, EMG, LFP and spike recordings.
Skill required: Matlab, C++/C and optionally basic knowledge in electrophysiology
5. Software:
Real-time squelch filtering and other advanced real time statistics
During the recording of extracellular activities especially spike sorting, most physiological scientists will try to listen to the signals in order to estimate the different elements each electrode is recording. Also other real time statistics are used in order to conduct such estimations. In this project we will develop a squelch filter which removes background noise and optimizes the audio sounds the researchers are listening to, in addition to other online statistical tools.
Skill required: Matlab, C++/C and optionally basic knowledge in electrophysiology
6. Biomed with Biology:
Establish the ability to conduct Bio-burden testing, and maybe other biomedical tests in-house at Alpha Omega
Production processes for medical devices for instruments that will be applied to patients (e.g. surgical instruments) are always expected to yield clean or sterile products. The control of these product line is always done through initial validation and ongoing control of the batches produced. Bio-burden testing of batches is one of these control tests. In this project we will develop an in-house bio-burden testing in order to control the production processes. The work will involve reviewing relevant standards in details, putting & validating a method for these tests, validating the tests and transferring them to the company production department.
Skills required: Biology and Chemistry background and excellent English.
7. Biomed with Hardware&Software:
Integrate Opto-genetic abilities with high channel count extracellular recording and stimulation system: Electrode arrays with opto-genetics, system to drive the electrode arrays.
Optogenetics is becoming a well known method for neural tissue stimulation competing with previously used electrical stimulation. These tools usually include a controller, light source and fibers that will actually interface with the neural tissue directly or with recording electrodes. In this project, we will build an optogenetic complete setup based on an existing electrophysiological recordings product.