B-CRATOS OBJECTIVES
Improve healthcare, quality-of-life, learning and cognition
The technology developed by B-CRATOS will have profound effects in several fields. In neuroprosthetics it bypasses damaged circuits in order to restore missing biological functions. It will also impact electroceuticals (modulation of organ function through neural circuits instead of pharmaceuticals), Brain-Computer Interfaces (brain plasticity through machine learning) gaming (immersion), and Virtual Reality.
IMPROVE HEALTHCARE,
QUALITY-OF-LIFE,
LEARNING AND COGNITION
B-CRATOS will overcome major challenges relating to power consumption, batteries, and data transmission bandwidth through breakthrough battery-free bidirectional wireless communication technology. The revolutionary signal bridge technology will impact healthcare, quality-of-life, human learning and cognition.
B-CRATOS MAIN OBJECTIVES
I Design a proof-of-concept high-channel, high-speed, wireless brain implant capable of two-way communication without battery
The B-CRATOS system features a battery-less, fully-implantable brain interface capable of sensing high-resolution neural signals and precisely stimulating cortical targets. The Blackrock Microsystems Utah Array is connected to a small biocompatible, hermetically-sealed implant containing custom electronics to detect, amplify, and digitize neuronal activity and deliver electrical stimulation. A wearable external module designed bv NTNU researchers uses a novel wireless transmission technique to enable two-way wireless communications for high data rate transfer and stimulation control and to power the implant.
II Fat-IBC: Develop a general-purpose, high-speed communications platform technology
Fat intra-body communication (FAT-IBC) is based on microwave propagation confined to the subdermal body fat with minimal interference from external electronic devices.
Fig. Two-way simultaneous Fat-IBC link between brain and bio-mechatronic extremity.
III HPC based AI computing
Machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) algorithms for arm control and sensor stimulation will be implemented for pattern recognition and classification
IV Biomechatronic prosthetic upper
Fig. Left and middle pictures: the Mia arm, right picture of the SSSA-My Arm prosthesis developed by SSSA as early prototype of the Mia Arm.
V Artificial skin
Most electronic skins (ES) suffer from high power consumption and low spatial resolution. The B-CRATOS sensory system will employ a novel combination of triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) and graphene-based hydrogels to provide a time-dependent force map in digital format. TENGs harvest mechanical energy when touched eliminating the need for an external power supply.
Project details:
TITLE: Wireless Brain-Connect inteRfAce TO machineS
START-END: March 2021 – February 2025
EU CONTRIBUTION: €4,475,059.25
TOPIC: FETOPEN-01-2018-2019-2020: FET-Open Challenging Current Thinking
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement N° 965044