The objective of this project is to validate a transcranial electrical stimulator using computation modelling and head phantoms for future efficacy studies.
Sponsor
Penn State Center for Biodevices
Team Members
Stephen Lombardo | Connor Moore | David Dzordzorme | Shengkai Xu | Lingqi Li | | | | | | |
Project Poster
Click on any image to enlarge.
Project Summary
Overview
Near one million people in the US are currently living with Parkinson’s Disease. Deep brain stimulation has been a validated treatment for decades, but this procedure requires invasive deep brain electrode placement surgery. Our team was tasked to create a non-invasive deep brain nuerostimulatory device to increase mobility in Parkinson’s Disease patients.
Objectives
Our objective was to improve mobility in Parkinson’s Disease patients by building a non-invasive transcranial alternating and direct current brain stimulatory device and to validate that it can transmit a meaningful electrical stimulation to the brain.
Approach
– Speak with sponsor about device expectations and needs
– Participate in weekly advisor and sponsor meetings to ensure constant communication
– Research existing devices, patents, and technologies
– Identify engineering specifications, generate device concepts, select concept that meets device criteria
– Perform computational simulations to pinpoint the most optimal electrode placement in the cap
– Purchase necessary equipment for circuitry housing, cap, and head phantom
– Generate prototypes for the head phantom, circuitry, and housing
– Develop a testing plan for using the head phantom and other electrical stimulation tests
– Perform tests and analyze data to quantify success of device
Outcomes
– The Penn State Center of Biodevices is delivered a neurostimulatory device that has been validated to provide 2 mA of current to the brain
– Testing on the head phantom shows alternating current in the alpha wave and beta wave region is more effective in simulation the brain than direct current