APTC Investigators Receive New Funding from the National Science Foundation to Grow COSMIIC Ecosystem and Expand Access to Open-Source Neuromodulation Technology
We are excited to share that APTC Investigators Dr. Michael Fu, Dr. Nathan Makowski, and Dr. Steve Majerus have received a new National Science Foundation Pathways to Open-Source Ecosystems (POSE) Phase 2 award to develop the ecosystem around the Cleveland Open-Source Modular Implant Innovators Community (COSMIIC) Platform. The COSMIIC system, based on the Networked Neuroprosthesis (NNP) technology developed at Case Western Reserve University, has a modular organization that enables rapid prototyping of implantable neuromodulation systems.
This new POSE project builds upon previous support from the NIH HORNET program, which helped make NNP technology open-source and more accessible to researchers and startups. The project team will use this funding to expand the open-source ecosystem for implantable neuromodulation systems into a contributor-sustained research community, speeding development of therapies for severe neurological, cardiovascular, and mental health conditions.
This new initiative focuses on six major goals:
- assessing user needs and growing the COSMIIC community,
- establishing governance through an external advisory board and leadership team,
- supporting continuous development through evaluation kit fabrication and training,
- implementing risk-analysis procedures for contributed designs,
- expanding community outreach through workshops, and
- strengthening long-term sustainability through supply-chain and support planning.
The team will host a combination of remote and in-person training workshops and support new users as they begin using the system. By lowering technical and regulatory barriers, COSMIIC aims to shorten development timelines and improve collaboration across researchers, clinicians, regulators, and industry. The overall goal of this project is to create a durable ecosystem that speeds innovation and expands access to neuromodulation technology.
Congratulations to Drs. Fu, Makowski, Majerus, and the COSMIIC team on this exciting achievement!
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