The finger and fingertip are the most frequently amputated body parts, due to work-related incidents. Yet because of space, weight and cost constraints, prosthetic fingers and fingertips are heavy and bulky with limited active motion and sensation. The aim of this project is to model, design, fabricate and validate an affordable body-powered prosthetic fingertip digit with integrated mechanical haptic feedback. It will do this by combining synergetic expertise in developing parameterised mathematical models of limb motion from the University of Warwick (UoW) and in creating soft, stiffness-controllable robotic structures and haptic feedback interfaces from University College London (UCL). Of key importance is its transformative nature, which we will achieve through close collaboration with (1) clinical experts from University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) and the UHCW Innovation Hub, who will provide consultation and clinical input throughout; and (2) strategic project partners, namely the Steeper Group and Ottobock SE & Co. KGaA, world leaders in the development of prosthetic devices; the Global Disability Hub CIC (GDI Hub), working with local communities, academics, experts and disabled people to drive innovation, co-design and collaboration; and e-NABLE, a worldwide charity that creates free protheses for those in need of an upper limb assistance. The objectives of the project are therefore: 1). to obtain an in-depth understanding of finger(tip) movements to recover hand functionality and the development of novel mathematical models that can accurately characterise and reproduce such movements. this will be achieved through the generation of a comprehensive portfolio of human hand grasps used in current everyday activities and validated mathematical models that can reproduce such taxonomies, compared to pre-existing models. 2). To create a pneumatically actuated, body-powered prosthetic fingertip with integrated haptic sensing feedback. This will be achieved through analysis comparing the design capabilities of the prosthetic fingertip when compared to human finger motion, testing the forces exerted using the prosthetic fingertip using appropriate experimental techniques. 3). To perform complete integration and validation of the mathematical models and body-powered prosthetic fingertip developed through verification in motion capture (gait) laboratories using patients in controlled environments as well as long-term validation studies.

We propose the development of a new technology for Non-Invasive Single Neuron Electrical Monitoring (NISNEM). Current non-invasive neuroimaging techniques including electroencephalography (EEG), magnetoencephalography (MEG) or functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) provide indirect measures of the activity of large populations of neurons in the brain. However, it is becoming apparent that information at the single neuron level may be critical for understanding, diagnosing, and treating increasingly prevalent neurological conditions, such as stroke and dementia. Current methods to record single neuron activity are invasive - they require surgical implants. Implanted electrodes risk damage to the neural tissue and/or foreign body reaction that limit long-term stability. Understandably, this approach is not chosen by many patients; in fact, implanted electrode technologies are limited to animal preparations or tests on a handful of patients worldwide. Measuring single neuron activity non-invasively will transform how neurological conditions are diagnosed, monitored, and treated as well as pave the way for the broad adoption of neurotechnologies in healthcare. We propose the development of NISNEM by pushing frontier engineering research in electrode technology, ultra-low-noise electronics, and advanced signal processing, iteratively validated during extensive tests in pre-clinical trials. We will design and manufacture arrays of dry electrodes to be mounted on the skin with an ultra-high density of recording points. By aggressive miniaturization, we will develop microelectronics chips to record from thousands of channels with beyond state-of-art noise performance. We will devise breakthrough developments in unsupervised blind source identification of the activity of tens to hundreds of neurons from tens of thousands of recordings. This research will be supported by iterative pre-clinical studies in humans and animals, which will be essential for defining requirements and refining designs. We intend to demonstrate the feasibility of the NISNEM technology and its potential to become a routine clinical tool that transforms all aspects of healthcare. In particular, we expect it to drastically improve how neurological diseases are managed. Given that they are a massive burden and limit the quality of life of millions of patients and their families, the impact of NISNEM could be almost unprecedented. We envision the NISNEM technology to be adopted on a routine clinical basis for: 1) diagnostics (epilepsy, tremor, dementia); 2) monitoring (stroke, spinal cord injury, ageing); 3) intervention (closed-loop modulation of brain activity); 4) advancing our understanding of the nervous system (identifying pathological changes); and 5) development of neural interfaces for communication (Brain-Computer Interfaces for locked-in patients), control of (neuro)prosthetics, or replacement of a "missing sense" (e.g., auditory prosthetics). Moreover, by accurately detecting the patient's intent, this technology could be used to drive neural plasticity -the brain's ability to reorganize itself-, potentially enabling cures for currently incurable disorders such as stroke, spinal cord injury, or Parkinson's disease. NISNEM also provides the opportunity to extend treatment from the hospital to the home. For example, rehabilitation after a stroke occurs mainly in hospitals and for a limited period of time; home rehabilitation is absent. NISNEM could provide continuous rehabilitation at home through the use of therapeutic technologies. The neural engineering, neuroscience and clinical neurology communities will all greatly benefit from this radically new perspective and complementary knowledge base. NISNEM will foster a revolution in neurosciences and neurotechnology, strongly impacting these large academic communities and the clinical sector. Even more importantly, if successful, it will improve the life of millions of patients and their relatives