The Laboratory of Bionic Engineering is part of the Group of Interdisciplinary Physics of the University of Seville. It aims at restoring lost body functions by delivering precise electrical stimulation. From blindness to gastrointestinal problems, the ultimate goal is to provide medical treatments from a technological perspective. Ranging from electronics to robotics and artificial intelligence, the laboratory of bionic engineering aims to overcome some of the challenges that the field is currently facing.

Neural communications – the nervous system codifies information in many ways. By sending a series of action potentials, the body is able to, for example, inform the brain about sounds and images, or tell a limb to execute a given movement. However, when these neural communications fail, different medical conditions may appear causing important disabilities. Luckily, it is possible to artificially restore part of these communications by electrically stimulating different neural targets. Whether or not natural neural messages can be mimic will play an important role in the next generation of implantable bionics.

Implantable electronics – safety and efficacy are the main drivers of medical advances. Miniaturised biocompatible electronics have to be designed to ensure the device can perform as expected without causing damage to the host. For example, smaller electrodes can be placed in intimate contact with the target tissue thus providing improved spatial selectivity. In addition, the upcoming generations of implantable neurostimulators will require new forms of energy harvesting and charge delivery. The number of challenges continues to grow.