Dustin Tyler, associate professor of biomedical engineering, is a co-lead investigator on a team that received a $199,913 grant from the Rehabilitation Research and Development (RRD) Service Small Projects in Rehabilitation Research (SPiRE) program to develop advanced in-line connectors.
In the study, “In-Line 32-Channel Connector for High-Density Implantable Medical Device,” Tyler and Douglas Shire attempt to address the fact that while advancements in high-density nerve cuff electrodes and neurostimulation technology have been significant over the last decade, chronically implantable in-line interconnection technology for the associated leads has not kept pace.
The SPiRE program is an intramural funding mechanism to support investigator-initiated research conducted by eligible investigators at Veterans Affairs medical centers or VA-approved sites. SPiRE Awards are RRD’s mechanism for funding small scope and duration-basic, translational and clinical studies of disorders and diseases of importance to the rehabilitation of veterans. The goal of RRD is to maximize functional recovery, including therapies that repair and restore function.