Institute of Industrial Science (IIS) of the University of Tokyo signed an agreement to create a neuroprothesis research consortium with Case Western Research University (CWRU) and Synapse Biomedical Inc. (SBI) on November 6 2015 at the University of Tokyo New York Office. Teruo Fujii, Director General, IIS, Megan Moynahan, Executive Director, Institute for Functional Restoration (IFR), CWRU and Anthony Ignagni, CEO, SBI attended the signing ceremony. Neuroprosthesis is a technology for activating neural pathways lost by neurological disorders to restore motor functions using artificial electric stimulations. CWRU in Cleveland, Ohio is known for advanced technologies for neuroprothesis, and SBI has been commercializing a neurostimulation system. The company has sales in 25 countries. As the neuroprothesis is a technology still on the way of development, the participation of IIS to the project to realize an innovative next generation neuroprothesis by applying its advanced expertise will potentially improve quality of life of patients with neurodegeneration and spinal cord injury.

IIS contribute to the consortium project of neuroprosthesis research in the areas of power solutions, industrial design to reduce patients’ stress and anxiety, and optimisation of electric stimulation using nerve cell culture.