Biocompatible Flexible Microfabricated Sensors for Surgical Applications

I-Corps项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是开发解决听力损失的技术，并探索该技术的后续应用。该项目旨在改善人工耳蜗手术的效果和安全性，并帮助减轻全球患者听力损失的负担和成本（估计为9810亿美元）。仅在美国，每年因听力损失造成的生产力损失就高达1940亿美元。此外，听力损失患者的孤独感、抑郁感和孤立感也较高，这也给他们带来了巨大的个人成本。这项技术将为外科医生提供实时反馈，以改进他们的手术技术，并为外科医生和护理提供者提供前所未有的临床数据集，以指导术后护理。总之，这些将使接受人工耳蜗手术的患者能够更好地保存他们的残余听力，并降低手术结果不佳的风险。通过解决采用障碍，这项技术可以使更多人重新与听力世界联系起来。这个I-Corps项目是基于传感器技术和术中引导系统的发展，以改善人工耳蜗手术后的听力结果。听力损失是世界范围内致残的主要原因，估计造成全球981亿美元的损失。该项目旨在开发和部署集成了人工耳蜗的微机电系统传感器，以实时定量监测电极的位置和受力，以增强外科医生的触觉反馈。传感器技术与机器学习指导系统相结合，可以在患者内部和患者之间进行技术改进。人工耳蜗手术将产生更一致的听力结果，包括残余听力保存。此外，随着医学界更好地了解植入过程中的陷阱，该传感器系统产生的数据将使新的手术内和术后方案成为可能。这种方法改善了手术结果和康复计划，将促进更广泛的监管部门批准扩大资格，并促进患者采用。这项技术将扩大人工耳蜗的市场，通过帮助减少与听力损失相关的孤立、抑郁和孤独，可以改善听力和生活质量。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of technology to address hearing loss and exploring follow-on applications of the technology. This project aims to improve outcomes and safety of Cochlear Implant surgery and help relieve the burden and costs (estimated $981B) of hearing loss to patients globally. In the US alone, lost productivity due to hearing loss costs up to $194B annually. There is also a large personal cost as people with hearing loss reported higher cases of loneliness, depression, and isolation. This technology will provide real-time feedback to surgeons to refine their surgical technique, as well as provide an unprecedented clinical dataset to surgeons and care providers to guide post-op care. Together, these will allow patients who undergo Cochlear Implant surgery to improve preservation of their residual hearing and reduce the risk of poor surgical outcomes. By addressing barriers to adoption, this technology can re-connect more people with the hearing world.This I-Corps project is based on the development of a sensor technology and intraoperative guidance system to improve hearing outcomes after Cochlear Implant surgery. Hearing loss is a leading cause of disability worldwide, responsible for an estimated $981B in global costs. This project aims to develop and deploy Micro Electro-Mechanical System sensors integrated with Cochlear Implants to quantitatively monitor the electrode position and forces in real-time in order to augment the surgeon’s tactile feedback. The sensor technology coupled with a Machine Learning guidance system will allow technique refinement within and across patients. Cochlear Implant surgery will yield more consistent hearing outcomes, including residual hearing preservation. Moreover, the data generated by this sensor system will enable new intra- and post-operative protocols as the medical community better understands the pitfalls during implantation. Improved surgical outcomes and rehabilitation plans enabled by this approach will facilitate broader regulatory approval for expanded eligibility and boost patient adoption. This technology will expand the market for Cochlear Implants, can improve hearing and quality of life by helping reduce isolation, depression, and loneliness associated with hearing loss.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.