These investigators intend to provide an implantable, high speed, data intensive, bidirectional, data transmission link for transcutaneous transmission from a variety of signal sources including transient neurological signals. They have succeeded in using an optical transmission technique for phase 1 of this program and provided a transmission rate of one megabit per second. They claim that such a system is needed by approximately 700,000 persons in the US (requiring cochlear implants and prosthetic aids for quadri/paraplegics). The phase II program will miniaturize, integrate and conduct in-vivo testing of this device.
