According to the World Health Organization, almost a billion people around the world are affected by neurological disorders such as stroke, epilepsy and Alzheimer’s disease. That’s nearly one in six of us. For most of human history, many of these conditions have been virtually untreatable, and even today, modern medicine can only go so far. But neural engineers such as CNT member Azadeh Yazdan, are pushing the envelope, seeking to widen our understanding of the brain, how it works, and what can be done to heal and restore this most vital organ when it doesn’t.
Feature Stories
These articles cover many different aspects of the Center for Neurotechnology and its faculty, student and staff members. For more stories, visit the Engage and Enable blog
Visvesh Sathe, a Center for Neurotechnology member and associate professor in electrical and computer engineering at the University of Washington, conducts research in a variety of areas applicable to circuits and architectures for low-power computing and biomedical systems. His work is always on the cutting edge of technology development and often holds potential for widespread human impact.
Neurodiverse learners are defined as those with academic challenges related to conditions such as dyslexia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder. Traditionally, these conditions have been seen primarily as disabilities, but times are changing, and more people, companies and organizations are beginning to recognize the unique strengths of those with neurodiverse conditions and characteristics.
What is it like as a woman to prepare for and enter a science and engineering workforce where men hold almost 70% of available jobs? What are the challenges a person will face intrinsic to that environment? How can one face those difficulties and overcome them?
Chris Rudell and Vivesh Sathe have vision. Together, with graduate students in their labs at the University of Washington Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering (UW ECE), they have designed a sophisticated neural interface in the form of a small, implantable chip. This chip is designed to help neuroscientists deepen their understanding of the brain and promises to take engineers one step closer to developing more effective devices to treat neurological disorders and conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Looking ahead, they developed the chip to be scalable and translatable into future technologies for decades to come.