Bridging the Innovation Gap:the “Bionic Hand” and FET

Silvestro MiceraBertarelli Foundation Chair in Translational NeuroEngineering, Center for Neuroprosthetics, EPFL

The BioRobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna

DISCLOSURE: Dr. Micera holds shares of Sensars Neuroprosthetics, a newcoworking to commercialize “bionic” limbs

2Translational Neural Engineering Bringing neurotechnology to clinical trials

OUR DREAM…

1. PHASE 1: Which kind of connection with the nervous system?2. PHASE 2: Which kind of hand prosthesis?3. PHASE 3: How much the patient is going to exploit this new

communication channel?4. PHASE 4: Is market exploitation possible?

3Translational Neural Engineering Bringing neurotechnology to clinical trials

INTER EU

project

1994-1997

GRIP EU project

1997- 2000

Micera et al., IEEE T-NSRE, 2008

PHASE 1 - The building blocks…

Identification of the “optimal” neural interface

4Translational Neural Engineering Bringing neurotechnology to clinical trials

INTER EU

project

1994-1997

GRIP EU project

1997- 2000

CYBERHANDNeuroboticsEU projects

2002- 2006

Sensorized hand prostheses

First implant in a patient

Intraneural electrodes (LIFE)

PHASE 2 – System integration…

1. Biomechatronic Hand

Analysis of the ENG signals recorded

2. Embedded Biomimetic sensors:

- within the structure

- within the glove

Different electrodes

6. Receiver

7. Transmitter

Stump

8. Decoding patient’s intentions and

Embedded closed-loop control of the artificial

hand

5Translational Neural Engineering Bringing neurotechnology to clinical trials

NEBIAS EU project

2014- 2018

First patient with bidirectional control

PHASE 3 - The clinical challenge…

INTER EU

project

1994-1997

GRIP EU project

1997- 2000

CYBERHANDNeuroboticsEU projects

2002- 2006

First implant in a patient

Intraneural electrodes (LIFE)

Sensorized hand prostheses

6Translational Neural Engineering Bringing neurotechnology to clinical trials

PHASE 4 - Towards market exploitation…

Clinical results(NEBIAS)

FET Launchpad

project

Which kind of market?

EIC Fast Track to Innovation

Lessons learnt and some proposals

• Finding a path is NOT a linear process. It is often a MAZE. The EIC Pathfinder should take into consideration to allow innovative projects to go the next funding schemes

– Objectives of the projects could be updated (GRIP yellow flag…)

– Maybe partners could be changed during the project

– Failures should be “encouraged”

• The FET Progamme has been very flexible in the past thanks to the excellent attitude of the Officers but this flexibility should become “easier” to implement

Lessons learnt and some proposals

• Finding the reviewers with the “right” attitude to increase the probability of success. Better to chose scientists already involved in previous similar projects

• EIC has to be a flexible “multi-port” “open” framework. Innovation means different things and all of them need to find opportunity under the EIC umbrella

• Coaching should be strongly encouraged as soon as possible during the project. It is not