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7. June 2023
The Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Petr Fiala visited the Brno University of Technology on 30 May 2023. In addition to discussions with representatives of the academic community on the priorities of technical education and challenges in the Czech Republic, the Prime Minister had the opportunity to see selected exhibits from the entire university. On behalf of CEITEC BUT, Eric Glowacki presented his research on neurostimulators, as well as Luděk Žalud, who deals with the development of rescue robots.
Non-invasive neurostimulators by Eric Glowacki
Eric Glowacki leads the Bioelectronic Materials and Systems Research Group at CEITEC BUT. He holds the ERC, the most prestigious grant given by the European Research Council. Thanks to the grant, the researchers under his leadership in Brno are working on wireless stimulation of peripheral nerves. They have succeeded in introducing a unique implant that delivers the necessary energy to the body through the skin.
The principle of neurostimulation methods is generally electrical and magnetic stimulation, which targets either the peripheral area or the central nervous system. One of the most widely used targets of electrical neurostimulation is the vagus nerve, which runs from the brain through the neck to the abdominal cavity. Stimulating it can help people after an accident or those suffering from epilepsy, but various inflammatory autoimmune diseases are no exception. Therapeutic effects have also been demonstrated, for example, in patients suffering from Crohn's disease.
"Our aim was to come up with a very small stimulator that would be more comfortable for patients. It would be placed on the neck, with the device being recharged by light. No one has thought of shining light through the skin before. Because the tissue is transparent, high energy densities can safely reach a reasonable depth through the skin," explains Glowacki.
You can read the full article about his research HERE
Rescue robot Orpheus by Luděk Žalud
Luděk Žalud's team has been working on the development of the Orpheus robot for more than a decade. The robot is equipped with a radioactive radiation sensor, sensors to facilitate movement in space or a precise GPS receiver with two antennas. But the machine can also create hyperspectral three-dimensional maps, which is possible thanks to several cameras (thermal imaging, colour and rangefinder).
"We are trying to develop the robotic system to be able to autonomously explore areas that are dangerous or inaccessible to humans. The goal is to get to the point, so the human doesn't have to go there at all. Robot does all the work for them. We mainly make robots and robotic systems designed for inaccessible or dangerous areas. They're used where there's a risk of human injury. Of course, if you lose a robot, it won't cause as much damage as if you lose for example a rescuer," says Luděk Žalud.
A special series of robots was developed for the Czech army, where the research team is mainly involved in so-called CBRN research, which stands for chemical-biological-radiological-nuclear threats. "The devices are part of the army's larger wheeled vehicles. "In the back of the vehicles there is a retractable capsule that houses the robot. It's turned off and is charging. The moment the army approaches a contaminated area, it will only send the robot into the field. So, the will not to have to eventually decontaminate the whole car," Žalud explained.
You can read more about the development of these robots HERE (article only in Czech)
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