Neural interfaces

We develop better tools for scientists and clinicians to interact with the brain at-scale and with reduced invasiveness. Towards this goal, we pursue two research directions:
  1. Developing flexible, large-scale, high-resolution CMOS bioelectronic neural implants.
  2. Understanding how the nervous system interacts with these devices.

The research is multi-disciplinary, involving: CMOS microelectronics circuits, cleanroom micro/nano-fabrication, embedded FPGA systems, software and algorithm development (including CUDA GPUs) and in vivo / in vivo biological experiments.

I am also interested in understanding how visual processing is carried out by the retina - a topic intimately related to my other major research area (see below). The above tools are unique, enabling technologies for exploring systems-level neural computational principles in the retina, at the resolution of individual neurons.

Vision prosthesis

Another related research area of our group is building more effective retinal implants for restoring sight to the profoundly blind. We have a strong emphasis on (1) understanding how the retinal neuronal network responds to electrical stimulation, and (2) how artificial electrical stimuli, generated by retinal implants, could be controlled to maximize the perceptual efficacy of these medical devices.

We address these research aims from two fronts:

  1. Investigate the electrically evoked responses of retinal neurons through in vitro and in vivo experiments and computational modelling.
  2. Develop software and embedded devices for processing and encoding visual/light stimuli into electrical stimuli for interfacing with neurons.