The objective of this project is to validate a transcranial electrical stimulator using computation modelling and head phantoms for future efficacy studies.

Sponsor

 

Team Members

Stephen Lombardo | Connor Moore | David Dzordzorme | Shengkai Xu | Lingqi Li | | | | | | |

 

Project Poster

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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