Industry: Medical equipment Region: Slovenia Transaction price: USD 1 million Transaction method: Equity financing
Description of Requirement:
A Slovenian inventor has developed a prototype wearable device for transcranial direct current (tDCS) to non-invasively stimulate the brain to provide treatment for a variety of mental disorders and conditions. Future designs will allow for different types of effect measurements. Partners are being sought to further develop the device, especially in the field of neuroscience. The collaboration will take place under a research collaboration agreement.
details:
The inventor from Slovenia has more than ten years of experience in developing electronic devices for different companies. There are already some devices on the market (multi-channel data acquisition (DAQ) devices) and devices for medical purposes (vibration devices for pain relief/prevention). In the last period, the development focus has shifted to brain devices, aiming to overcome the shortcomings of existing devices and technologies.
Neurological disorders are often the result of overactivity or inactivity in the neocortex of the brain. Transcranial electrical (tES) therapy is based on the use of weak electrical currents to target or inhibit this part of the brain to treat specific neurological disorders. Transcranial electrical approaches to the brain utilize electrodes on the scalp for a short period of time without the need to implement them in the brain as in the deep brain (DBS). One of the frequently used techniques is transcranial direct current (tDSC) with the characteristics described above. This treatment is available for specific depression, autism, attention deficit (hyperactivity) disorders, and more. While the results show an improvement in the patient's condition, the existing equipment is impractical and in many cases can only be used by neurotherapists, the accuracy is not very precise, and the electrodes cover more of the head/brain than is required for a particular treatment big. As a result, the current density was dispersed in the brain tissue. Treatment effects are usually assessed with additional equipment to measure electrical activity in the brain (electroencephalography, EEG). Working with different devices with many cables hanging from the scalp can be stressful, especially for people with mental disorders and children.
Slovenian inventors have developed an alternative device based on transcranial direct current as a working prototype for a non-invasive brain, and while high density has not yet been achieved, the current results are promising. The current can be adjusted according to the user's needs and age. The device is designed to be wearable and allow users to perform other activities while in use. The device utilizes light emitting diodes (LEDs) as indicators of electrical status. It's also relatively small, and the electrodes can be attached or sewn to clothing. In the next step, the device will be upgraded to a more accurate high-density stimulation (high-density transcranial direct current, (HD-tDCS). It also allows the measurement of therapy in the same device with the help of EEG and with relative ease using the software required for the device It is also possible to add transcranial alternating current (tACS) and transcranial random noise (tRNS).
Further development of the device will take the following directions :
1. A market-oriented version of the device for regular use by patients.
2. More powerful, but still functional and well designed.
For the next stage of development, the Slovenian inventors are looking for international partners such as research institutes, academia and/or companies to jointly develop the device within the framework of a research cooperation agreement.