Tiny smart chip to combat chronic pain
December 17th, 2010 - 3:51 pm ICT by IANSLondon, Dec 17 (IANS) A revolutionary new smart chip, the size of a match head implanted in the spinal cord, blocks pain signals and prevents them from reaching the brain.
The tiny device works by monitoring the nerves carrying pain signals and firing electrical pulses of up to 10 volts that block the undesirable signals from reaching the brain.
The Implantable Neuro Sensing and Stimulation or INS2 was developed between 2008 and 2010 by National ICT Australia (NICTA) in Sydney. It will undergo human trials from beginning of the next year.
Existing pain-relief implants are the size of a matchbox. Researchers said their miniature version would be far more effective and reliable because it can be implanted much closer to the spine, reports the Daily Mail.
The tiny new implant consists of two smart chips built into a device that is sewn into a material container with integrated electronic wires, according to a NICTA statement.
The device is implanted on the target nerve such as the spinal cord and is operated by an internal computer processor run by a battery the size of a SIM card. It can be recharged wirelessly so there is no need for any external wires.
The INS2 can be ‘fine-tuned’ to manage different levels of pain. NICTA is planning to form a new company in Sydney, Saluda Medical, to commercialize the implant.
- Single shot relieves pain in spinal injuries - Dec 02, 2011
- Brain chip may help paralysed patients move bionic limbs - Jul 05, 2010
- Soon, brain chip that could herald the end of paralysis - Jul 05, 2010
- New treatment could help minimize nerve damage in spinal cord injuries - May 04, 2011
- Zebra fish's self-healing could help spinal injury victims - Jun 03, 2012
- Heating up pelvic nerves could halt premature ejaculation - Mar 16, 2011
- Genes that regenerate nerves after injury isolated - Sep 22, 2011
- Astonishing bionic enables blind to see - Nov 22, 2011
- New treatment to heal spinal injuries - Nov 17, 2011
- Now, a brain-recording device that melts into place - Apr 19, 2010
- New antibody shows promising results in spinal cord injury - Aug 30, 2012
- New implant to ease seizures fits snugly into brain - Apr 19, 2010
- Eye operation helps blind Briton to see - May 04, 2012
- Fuel cells developed that may help paralysed move - Jun 14, 2012
- Electronic implants to give sight back to blind - Nov 03, 2010
Tags: chronic pain, computer processor, daily mail, electrical pulses, external wires, implantable, internal computer, matchbox, material container, nicta, pain relief, pain signals, saluda, sim card, smart chip, smart chips, spinal cord, target, tiny device, volts