25 April 2019
10:00 - 11:00 AM
Medical Science Building (MSB), Rm 2172
1 King's College Circle Toronto, ON M5S 1A8
Abstract
The advent and application of micro and nano fabrication techniques for implementing bioelectric interfaces to the nervous system has increased the need for engineering design and analysis tools for the design and implementation of these devices. In recent years, the access and availability of these techniques has resulted in an explosion in those attempting to create new devices. However, the ability to precisely define and create structures at cellular and sub cellular dimensions has led to the question of what is the necessary shape or specification that would enable the best coupling to the nervous system? As early explorers in this domain, we faced these questions and defined structural features in the tfLIFE, TIME or flexible intramuscular array structures using our best guess from empirical experimental observations. To inform future designs, we measured biophysical properties and developed biophysical models to gain insight into how neural interfaces work. Although we are getting closer and have a better understanding of how these devices work, complete convergence between model predictions and experimental observations remains elusive.
Biography
Ken Yoshida (PhD. Univ Utah, 1994) is an Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering and has worked in the field of neural engineering through developing techniques to record, activate and block peripheral and autonomic nerve activity. He is active in the development and use of peripheral nerve interfaces, in particular the intrafascicular electrode (tfLIFE and TIME devices), for high resolution recording and high selectivity stimulation. In the past 5 years, he has worked to adapt methods developed for somatic peripheral nerves towards application in autonomic nerves as a means to monitor and modulate the activity in nerves involved in the automatic regulation of major organs in the body. Dr Yoshida is a member of the Society for Neuroscience and Tau Beta Pi, a senior member of the IEEE, and a founding member of the International Functional Electrical Stimulation Society.
