Augmenting Implanted Neuroprosthetics with Targeted Health Monitoring for Spinal Cord Injury - the LIFELINE

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Abstract Summary This proposal involves the development of an implanted health monitoring device, the "Lifeline" device, which senses health-related parameters, including temperature, electrocardiogram, photoplethysmogram, inertial measurement, and acoustic signals. We propose to enhance our existing modular neuroprosthetic system, the "Networked Neuroprosthesis" (NNP), with the Lifeline device, creating a comprehensive health monitoring system. The NNP System has already begun clinical evaluation in individuals with SCI for providing motor function, but currently lacks health monitoring capability. We are designing the Lifeline device as an integral component of the NNP system because the NNP system provides an existing source of implanted power, significant processing capacity, wireless data transmission, data storage, and an array of existing modules (electrical stimulation, biopotential recording, temperature sensing, inertial sensing). Thus the NNP system provides a platform for implementing and evaluating the benefits of implanted health monitoring while minimizing the development costs and regulatory hurdles. As designed, the Lifeline component adds minimal additional risk with respect to surgical implantation and system operation. An exciting anticipated outcome of the Lifeline-enhanced NNP System is the capacity to provide advanced warning regarding the top causes of increased mortality in individuals with SCI, enabling earlier detection and medical intervention that may ultimately increase overall life expectancy. The causes of early mortality include pneumonia, urinary tract infection (UTI), pulmonary embolism (PE), and autonomic dysreflexia (AD), which are unique to, or more prevalent in, people with SCI (particularly tetraplegia). The addition of the Lifeline device to the NNP System is the first step towards an implantable "life-saving neuroprosthesis". The overall benefit of the Lifeline-enhanced NNP System for SCI is twofold: 1) the high expectation of a functional benefit from the motor neuroprosthesis (original NNP System), and 2) the potential life-extending features of the implanted health monitoring (Lifeline). At the completion of this project, we anticipate having a single modular system that will be capable of providing both improved health and improved function for anyone with SCI, thus prolonging life while, at the same time, increasing independence and quality of life.