Neural Engineering Group

Overview

The Neural Engineering Group sits at the intersection of neuroscience, electrical engineering, and biomedical materials. Its mission is to build the devices, algorithms, and analytical frameworks needed to read from and write to neural circuits with the precision and temporal resolution required for both basic research and therapeutic applications. The group's portfolio spans electrode array design, ASIC-level signal conditioning, real-time spike-sorting, and closed-loop control of neural stimulation based on decoded neural state.

On the device side, the group fabricates flexible polyimide electrode arrays with up to 512 channels and develops hydrogel coatings that reduce the chronic foreign-body response, extending implant functional lifetime. On the algorithm side, it applies deep learning-based decoders for motor intention, and model-predictive control frameworks for adaptive deep-brain stimulation protocols. A dedicated cleanroom bay in the Cleanroom & Nanofabrication Facility is reserved for group device fabrication.

The group collaborates with the Computational Neuroscience Group on biophysical models that guide stimulation parameter selection, and with the Perception & Decision Lab on BCI protocols that exploit decision-related neural dynamics. Its clinical translation work is pursued through a collaborative agreement with the Veyra Institute's commercial consulting arm.

Research themes

• High-density, flexible electrode arrays for chronic cortical and subcortical recording
• ASIC design for low-noise, low-power multichannel neural front-ends
• Real-time spike sorting and field potential decomposition on FPGA and edge hardware
• Deep learning decoders for motor imagery and speech-based brain-computer interfaces
• Closed-loop adaptive deep-brain stimulation for movement disorders
• Biocompatible materials and surface chemistry for long-term implant stability