Closed-loop Neural Interface Technologies (Close-NIT) Network Plus
Lead Research Organisation:
Newcastle University
Department Name: Biosciences Institute
Abstract
The human brain is the most complex dynamical system that we know of. Its anatomical structure is characterised by bidirectional connections and recurrent feedback loops between a hundred billion cells that support the representation, processing and storage of information. Its behaviour is expressed through bidirectional connections and sensorimotor feedback loops with the body, the environment and other individuals, which in turn alter the strength of connections within the brain, allowing us to learn, understand, move and communicate. Now, for the first time in our evolutionary history, we are beginning to augment these biological connections with new, artificial connections to repair, restore and enhance our neural circuits and cognitive functions. Neural interfaces allow brain activity to be sensed and processed by electronic circuitry, which can then return signals back to the nervous system in real-time through neurostimulation to form a direct 'closed loop' between the brain and technology. Potential applications include neuroprosthetic devices to replace connections lost through injury, neurorehabilitation devices to drive plastic changes in brain circuits, and neuromodulation devices to control the aberrant patterns of activity associated with many neurological disorders. In future, we may be able to regulate our mental states, communicate in new ways with computers and machines, and ultimately merge biological and artificial intelligence. However, despite the current hype around neurotechnology, there are many unanswered questions that are uniquely posed by closed-loop applications of neural interfaces. Some of these are technological in nature, such as how best can we simultaneously monitor and manipulate electrical brain activity without cross-talk? Some are computational, such as what algorithms should we use to transform sensed brain activity into stimulation and how can these be implemented in real-time on wearable or implantable devices? Some are scientific, such as how do neural circuits respond to closed-loop interfaces and how can this be harnessed for therapeutic benefit? Most importantly, there are ethical questions, such as how can we ensure these technologies are safe, beneficial and respectful of the autonomy and individuality of users. While science traditionally progresses by tackling problems in isolation, closed-loop interfaces require a paradigm shift in transdisciplinary working. In particular, we seek to uncover the emergent phenomena, scientific mechanisms and clinical applications that can only be revealed in real-time bidirectional interactions between brains and technology. Therefore, we will build a network to connect experts from academia, industry and medicine to address the key challenges facing closed-loop neural interfaces, accelerating scientific and technological progress while engaging with ethicists, users and the public to ensure we advance responsibly into the neuroengineered future.
Organisations
- Newcastle University (Collaboration, Lead Research Organisation)
- University of Cambridge (Collaboration)
- University of Sheffield (Collaboration)
- University of Oxford (Collaboration)
- IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON (Collaboration)
- University College London (Collaboration)
- University of Glasgow (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER (Collaboration)
- University of Bristol (Collaboration)
Publications
Güemes A
(2025)
Foundational guidelines for enhancing neurotechnology research and development through end-user involvement.
in Journal of neural engineering
Saleh M
(2024)
EEG artifact removal at the edge using AI hardware
| Description | The network has held two funding rounds to support pilot research projects led by network members. We also endeavored to support projects that spanned the breadth of our engineering, scientific and clinical interests as well as to support new collaborations which had the potential to lead to future interdisciplinary work. CloseNIT has grown the capacity of UK research in this area, both in terms of fostering new collaborative teams as well as supporting ECRs towards independence. An example of this is the significant contribution of closeNIT to the new ARIA neurotechnology programme. With a mix of clinical, academic and (start-up/spin-out) industry members we are broadly representative of the closed-loop neurotech field, although we expect this to become increasingly of interest to larger companies (e.g. in the medical device field) in coming years. On the engineering side, our interest in solving the problems of simultaneous sense-stim, the need for real-time computation by low-power wearables/implantables and the application of AI approaches to regulate nonlinear neural dynamics are increasingly relevant and areas that we have established new lines of work in. From the neuroscience side, we have been positively surprised by the breadth of applications (both in terms of underlying principles and disease targets) which have been discussed at workshops and investigated by our research teams. Researchers have shown openness to share technologies, techniques and expertise, and ECRs have engaged enthusiastically with the overarching themes of the network. This has led to some new and unexpected connections being made. |
| Exploitation Route | CloseNIT network has developed various research tools and methods for research in the area (details are added in relevant sections). The datasets and models have been made publicly available. In terms of maximising clinical impact - closeNIT has contributed in two important areas that are key to continue: (1) bringing more clinicians into the conversation both to guide on areas of unmet need and to provide a translational pathway for new technologies, and (2) PPIE to ensure that new technologies address user priorities and concerns. In terms of economic impact, we are seeing increasing numbers of spin-outs and start-ups in this space. We think there is good potential for growth in this area and engagement with regulators is key to ensure we can foster responsible innovation. We anticipate that the National Consortium for Neurotechnology Regulation can help to continue our activities in this space in future. |
| Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software) Healthcare |
| URL | https://research.ncl.ac.uk/close-nit/ |
| Description | European Council of Autistic People (EUCAP) |
| Geographic Reach | Europe |
| Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
| Description | Postgraduate training and educational development |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to new or improved professional practice |
| Description | Addressing Inequities and Adoption Disparities in Neurotechnology |
| Amount | £406,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Advanced Research and Innovation Agency (ARIA) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2025 |
| End | 03/2027 |
| Description | Minimally Invasive Multiplexed Temporal Interference Brain Stimulation Network |
| Amount | £4,000,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Advanced Research and Innovation Agency (ARIA) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 02/2025 |
| End | 02/2029 |
| Description | NEUROBOT: Neural Microbots for Closed Loop Modulation |
| Amount | £2,000,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Advanced Research and Innovation Agency (ARIA) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 02/2025 |
| End | 02/2029 |
| Description | Precision 4D Control of Cortical Circuit Function |
| Amount | £8,200,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Advanced Research and Innovation Agency (ARIA) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 02/2025 |
| End | 02/2029 |
| Title | Closed loop stimulation for sleep |
| Description | We are refining in-house methods for closed loop stimulation for sleep, and developing on-line sleep detection methods on novel hardware. |
| Type Of Material | Physiological assessment or outcome measure |
| Year Produced | 2025 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | NA |
| Title | Comprehensive Ethogram |
| Description | Together with the wireless recording system, we are developing a comprehensive ethogram for marmoset monkeys and an AI-powered automatic motion detection system. |
| Type Of Material | Physiological assessment or outcome measure |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | This system will facilitate more precise behavioural analysis and further reduce reliance on restrain and invasive methods. |
| Title | Concurrent EEG and tES |
| Description | The nature of TI stimulation is that the applied frequencies are typically in the kHz range while EEG activity is generally <100Hz. By introducing an 8th-order low-pass filter between the EEG electrodes and amplifier Dr. Edward's team is able to effectively cancel out the applied stimulation leaving only clean EEG. This means they can stimulate electrically and record the brain activity with no artefact. |
| Type Of Material | Technology assay or reagent |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | N/A |
| Title | EEGVIBE |
| Description | This repository contains a workflow for running closed-loop EEG experiments with stimulation being delivered as waveforms created by the soundcard. The waveforms can drive vibrating actuators, speakers or headphones. The stimulation feedback is triggered on a target phase of a target frequency of the EEG signal. |
| Type Of Material | Physiological assessment or outcome measure |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | This component includes two modes: Running the feedback loop, that is tracking the phase of the target frequency from one EEG signal channel and triggering stimulations when the target phase is reached. Replaying a stimulation schedule. This is an open-loop mode, where there are no frequency & phase targets on the EEG signal. All stimulation from a previous experiment are replayed at exactly the same timepoints as they were originally triggered, relative to the beginning of the experiment. |
| URL | https://github.com/peafischer/EEGVIBE |
| Title | Implantable neural cuff electrodes for high-resolution recording and modulation of nerve activity in awake or anaesthetised animals. |
| Description | Nerve cuffs were fabricated using photolithography microfabrication techniques similar to those used in prior nerve implant work. The devices consisted of a rectangular sheet containing 32 microelectrodes (two rows of 16 microelectrodes) each 40 by 40 µm in size, which could be wrapped around a nerve in the form of a cuff. The cuffs were designed to allow for implantation in awake freely-moving models, including features such as a long neck connecting electrodes and connection pads to enable routing under the skin of the animal. |
| Type Of Material | Model of mechanisms or symptoms - mammalian in vivo |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | The use of a microfabricated flexible cuff, containing an array of conductive polymer microelectrodes is a novel strategy to interface with individual nerve fascicles. By carefully selecting microelectrode dimensions and using low impedance conductive materials such as PEDOT:PSS, the cuffs allowed to selectively record and stimulate from independent fascicles within the target nerve. This will also allow for novel recording approaches, such as the classification of recorded nerve signals by conduction velocity. |
| Title | Neurofeedback and music modulated EEG |
| Description | A setup which can deliver neurofeedback and music modulated EEG has been created. We also created system that can save both EEG and music parameters. Professor Jackson has improved the method of calculating EEG phase that is necessary for music modulation. |
| Type Of Material | Physiological assessment or outcome measure |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | This has helped improved the method of calculating EEG phase that is necessary for music modulation |
| Title | Phase-locked Temporal Interference Stimulation |
| Description | Dr. Edward's team combined the newly developed pulsed TI hardware with their pre-existing ability to phase-lock stimulation to ongoing brain activity. To do so they extracted the EEG signal after the hardware LPF and apply the endpoint-corrected Hilbert Transform (ecHT) to extract instantaneous phase. When a target phase is reached a signal is sent to the pulsed TI device and a 10ms pulse of TI stimulation is delivered. |
| Type Of Material | Technology assay or reagent |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | NA |
| Title | Pulsed Temporal Interference Stimulation |
| Description | Dr Edward have developed the hardware and firmware required to allow us to deliver temporal interference (TI) in short pulses. In brief, they used two direct digital synthesisers (DDS), each capable of stimulating at one of two frequencies. They maintained one DDS at our carrier frequency (2kHz) and rapidly switch the second DDS between 2 and 2.1kHz. By switching the second DDS to 2.1kHz for a short duration of 10ms they are able to create 1 period of a 100Hz TI envelope. They can then deliver these short pulses at an frequency we chose in order to stimulate the brain. |
| Type Of Material | Technology assay or reagent |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | N/A |
| Title | Real-time recording of EEG activity during temporal interference stimulation |
| Description | A novel combination of stimulators and filters that allow for real-time recording of EEG activity during temporal interference stimulation that allows for artefact-free recording. The details of these have been presented at a number of conferences and will be published in two in-prep journal articles in 2025. |
| Type Of Material | Physiological assessment or outcome measure |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | The stimulation allows for artefact-free recording. |
| Title | Software to identify seizure truncation |
| Description | Software identifies which brain regions are involved in seizures or not, and identifies those seizures with truncation |
| Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Helps to identify brain regions involved in seizures |
| Title | Unsupervised Machine Learning Identifies Latent Ultradian States in Multi-Modal Wearable Sensor Signals |
| Description | Wearable sensors such as smartwatches have become ubiquitous in recent years, allowing the easy and continual measurement of physiological parameters such as heart rate, physical activity, body temperature, and blood glucose in an every-day setting. |
| Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | This multi-modal data offers the potential to identify latent states occurring across physiological measures, which may represent important bio-behavioural states that could not be observed in any single measure. Here we present an approach, utilising a hidden semi-Markov model, to identify such states in data collected using a smartwatch, electrocardiogram, and blood glucose monitor, over two weeks from a sample of 9 participants. We found 26 latent ultradian states across the sample, with many occurring at particular times of day. Here we describe some of these, as well as their association with subjective mood and time use diaries. These methods provide a novel avenue for developing insights into the physiology of everyday life. |
| URL | https://arxiv.org/abs/2405.03829 |
| Title | Wireless recording system |
| Description | The wireless recording system for free-moving marmoset monkeys has the potential to make a significant impact on the 3Rs by reducing the need for animal restraint and enabling the observation of more naturalistic behaviours that closely align with human phenotypic behaviours. |
| Type Of Material | Physiological assessment or outcome measure |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | This advancement enhances the translational relevance of preclinical models while improving animal welfare. |
| Title | taVNS to physiological signals |
| Description | Co-morbid depression is common in people with heart failure (HF) and leads to worse health outcomes. Autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysregulation, as indexed by reduced heart rate variability (HRV), is seen in depression and HF. We hypothesise that ANS dysregulation is mechanistically involved in depression in HF patients, explaining the poor prognosis. Implanted vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) directly targets the ANS. It is used clinically in depression and experimentally in HF, consistently improving quality of life (QoL). Transauricular VNS (taVNS) is a non-invasive alternative. It holds promise but optimal stimulation parameters are not known. Our collaboration has demonstrated the feasibility of open-loop taVNS and identified parameter- specific effects on the HRV of healthy volunteers. The respiratory cycle is relevant for the effects of taVNS on ANS modulation. |
| Type Of Material | Physiological assessment or outcome measure |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | a proof-of-concept study to develop lab-based closed- loop taVNS techniques, gated to trigger stimulation at specific points in the respiratory cycle of healthy volunteers, to determine ANS impact on measures of electroencephalography (EEG), HRV, blood pressure and continuous performance tests. In parallel we are studying ANS function, mood, fatigue and QoL in people with depression and HF. Non-invasive ANS modulation is a potential novel therapeutic strategy targeting mood, fatigue and QoL in HF. |
| URL | https://github.com/NewcastleRSE/Java_taVNS |
| Title | Dataset of non-truncated seizures |
| Description | 68 seizures which did not truncate, along with their brain region assignment |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | N/A |
| Title | Nerve Signal Velocity Analysis Tools |
| Description | Python classes to simulate and analyse nerve signals and their propagation through a cuff electrode. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Datasets on data analysis strategies for interrogation of signal velocity in nerve recordings |
| URL | https://figshare.com/articles/software/Code_Nerve-Signal-Velocity-Analysis-Tools/27694590?file=50595... |
| Description | Dr Alejandro Lombarte |
| Organisation | University of Cambridge |
| Department | Department of Engineering |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funding for the following pilot study has been approved: "Fascicle-selective and Velocity-sorting nerve interfacing Cuffs for bladder control (FaVe-Cuffs)" |
| Collaborator Contribution | The project overall was deemed to have successfully achieved its aim of developing a nerve implant capable of providing closed-loop control of bladder function. While some data analysis is still underway as outlined above, the results of the project are expected to be submitted for publication within the next four months. The acquired data is also being used as preliminary evidence to support a larger research program aimed at developing closed-loop nerve implant therapies to restore control of pelvic organs (bladder, bowel, sex organs) in spinal cord injury, including a submission to the MRC Career Development Award program. |
| Impact | DOI: 10.1101/2024.11.20.624516. Implantable neural cuff electrodes for high-resolution recording and modulation of nerve activity in awake or anaesthetised animals. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Dr Aleksandra Vuckovic |
| Organisation | University of Glasgow |
| Department | School of Engineering Glasgow |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funding for the following pilot study has been approved: "Improving Neurofeedback Efficacy with Brain-Responsive Music" |
| Collaborator Contribution | The aim of this project is to test whether BRM enhances the effect of visual neurofeedback of the frontal midline theta, which is a rhythm related to memory and cognitive control with many potential clinical and wellness applications. |
| Impact | A setup has been created which can deliver neurofeedback and music modulated EEG. Furthermore, a system that can save both EEG and music parameters has also been created. Professor Jackson has improved the method of calculating EEG phase that is necessary for music modulation. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Dr Amparo Guemes/ Prof Tamar Makin |
| Organisation | University of Cambridge |
| Department | Cambridge Neuroscience |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funding for the following pilot study has been approved: closeNIT - Development of Patient and Public Involvement for Neurotechnologies |
| Collaborator Contribution | Research still ongoing |
| Impact | Research still ongoing |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Dr Edward Rhodes |
| Organisation | Imperial College London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funding for the following pilot study has been approved: "Closed-loop temporal interference stimulation (TI) to alleviate Bradykinesia in Parkinson's Disease" |
| Collaborator Contribution | Developed the necessary firmware changes to their current TI hardware to allow the implementation of the ecHT algorithm to track phase in real-time. Initiated a proof-of-concept pilot study in a small cohort (N=20) of PD patients to determine whether there is a phase-dependent effect of TI stimulation on motor cortex oscillations and subsequently on response times. |
| Impact | Technology assay or reagent-Pulsed Temporal Interference Stimulation A novel combination of stimulators and filters that allow for real-time recording of EEG activity during temporal interference stimulation that allows for artefact-free recording. The details of these have been presented at a number of conferences and will be published in two in-prep journal articles in 2025. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Dr Kirill Aristovich/ Dr Ahmad S Idil |
| Organisation | University College London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funding for the following pilot study has been approved: "Demonstration of Selective Vagus Nerve Stimulation (sVNS) in Humans" |
| Collaborator Contribution | This project successfully demonstrated selective vagus nerve stimulation (sVNS) in a clinical setting, achieving significant progress in neuromodulation research. A spatially selective vagus nerve stimulator was developed and tested, showing targeted organotopic responses with minimal side effects. findings have critical implications for autonomic nervous system (ANS) modulation, particularly for cardiac health post-myocardial infarction. This work builds on prior success in a porcine model and represents a critical step toward integrating real-time biomarker-based stimulation for clinical applications. |
| Impact | The research is still ongoing. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Dr Luke Bashford |
| Organisation | Newcastle University |
| Department | Newcastle University Medical School |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funding for the following pilot study has been approved: "Large Scale Stimulation Assays for Closed-Loop Optimal Control of Neural Populations". |
| Collaborator Contribution | The research is still ongoing. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Dr Mahnaz Arvaneh |
| Organisation | University of Sheffield |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funding awarded: EEG in Everyday Life: Challenges and Lessons Learned from Practical Use |
| Collaborator Contribution | This project aims to explore the challenges and develop guidelines for best practices on using EEG in real-world settings, with a particular focus on closed-loop neurotechnologies. Through expert interviews, case study reviews, and a Delphi study, the project will co-develop comprehensive guidelines for conducting EEG research outside of the lab. |
| Impact | Research still ongoing. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | Dr Peter Taylor |
| Organisation | Newcastle University |
| Department | School of Computing Science |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funding for the following pilot study has been approved: "TruSty [Closed-loop Neural Interface Technologies - Truncating Seizure Pathways]" |
| Collaborator Contribution | This project modeled a closed-loop system that target the extended seizures by triggering the truncation mechanism. This work provides a basis targeted, seizure-specific epilepsy treatments and contribute to characterising neural brain states and understanding fluctuations in disease severity. |
| Impact | Preprint: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2409.01767 |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Dr Petra Fischer |
| Organisation | University of Bristol |
| Department | School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funding for the following pilot study has been approved: "Refining closed-loop vibrotactile stimulation tools to ameliorate dysfunctional network activity in dystonia" |
| Collaborator Contribution | This project aimed at developing and testing whether targeting increase neural oscillations with phase-specific vibrotactile stimulation (VTS) can relieve dystonia symptoms. Sensorimotor alpha/mu oscillations were tracked using electroencephalography (EEG). Symptoms were recorded using electromyography (EMG) and self-reports. Brief VTS were applied using small linear resonant actuators attached to patients' hand or neck. The findings imply that a wrist-worn vibrating device triggered by sensorimotor oscillations could be developed into a powerful tool for alleviating dystonia. |
| Impact | Github code: https://github.com/peafischer/EEGVIBE |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Dr Rob Wykes |
| Organisation | University College London |
| Department | Institute of Neurology |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Closed-loop thalamic stimulation to speed recovery of arousal post-seizure |
| Collaborator Contribution | Post-seizure depression of neuronal activity and loss of arousal are risk factors for Sudden unexplained death in epilepsy and thus therapeutic strategies to limit or prevent this are warranted. The association of spreading depolarization with seizures appears to increase post-seizure depression and loss of arousal. The aim of this research is to move the site of stimulation from the cortex to the thalamus, which we predict will have greater therapeutic effect. |
| Impact | NA |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Dr Tiago Costa |
| Organisation | Newcastle University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| PI Contribution | Funding for the following pilot study has been approved: "Transauricular vagus nerve stimulation with closed-loop cardiac, respiratory and electroencephalography biofeedback: a pilot study in healthy volunteers" |
| Collaborator Contribution | Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) has shown promise in modulating autonomic and cognitive functions, presumably by activating afferent vagal pathways. Pilot studies suggest that respiratory-gated stimulation may enhance neural response. This pilot study sought to evaluate the feasibility, tolerability, and preliminary efficacy of delivering taVNS in a closed loop with real-time respiratory biofeedback, in healthy volunteers. |
| Impact | https://github.com/NewcastleRSE/Java_taVNS |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Dr Wako Yoshida |
| Organisation | University of Oxford |
| Department | Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funding for the following pilot study has been approved: "Adaptive close-loop decoded neurofeedback for social training in autism spectrum disorders" |
| Collaborator Contribution | The broader aim of this research study was to explore the potential for 'brain-in-the-loop' closed-loop BMI systems to modulate social behaviour, as a potential route to interventions that could support people with differences in social behaviour such as autism. A design of a task-combined neurofeedback system was developed which uses real-time decoded fMRI signals associated with observational reasoning. This describes the ability of people to learn from others, by observing the actions they do, and apply this knowledge to their own behaviour. The work had 3 distinct phases: i) the analysis brain activity during social observational learning to identify brain regions crucial for behavioural change, ii) implementing a neurofeedback experiment based on observational learning and validated a behavioural assessment method, and iii) working with people with autism to explore the potential value of neurofeedback systems. The main findings for each phase were: i) the inferior frontal gyrus appears to integrate observed and individual information, and therefore identifies this region as a target region for neurofeedback; ii) participants receive feedback through discrete scores indicating the rate of increase in activity displayed. Currently we are piloting this to determine the magnitude of the signal change to determine how to precisely scale the feedback reward signal that is applied back into the task, and iii) people with autism learn best from other people with autism, suggesting the key was congruency across neurodiversity; were keen on a holistic approach that considered their differences together, rather than picking them apart. The next step is exploring how best to design laboratory environments that are inclusive to people with autism (alongside other aspects of inclusivity). |
| Impact | An online meeting was held with members from the European Council of Autistic People (EUCAP), including the president, to discuss the project. They shared valuable insights on their experiences with AI agents and highlighted the needs of individuals in an AI-driven world. Their perspectives have significantly influenced our project's direction. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Dr Yujiang Wang / Dr Chris Thornton |
| Organisation | Newcastle University |
| Department | School of Computing Science |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funding for the following pilot study has been approved: "closeNIT - Closed-Loop Chrono-Exercise" |
| Collaborator Contribution | The research is still ongoing. |
| Impact | https://arxiv.org/abs/2405.03829 |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Dr. Joram van Rheede |
| Organisation | University of Oxford |
| Department | Oxford Neuroscience |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funding for the following pilot study has been approved: "Balance4Sleep: Balanced and Adaptive Loop Algorithms for Neuromodulation of CMT in Epilepsy - improving Sleep outcomes" |
| Collaborator Contribution | The research aims to improve the quality of life of epilepsy patients, which is in the public interest. Findings will specifically apply to this topic and are not anticipated to provide dual-use outputs. |
| Impact | Refining in-house methods for closed loop stimulation for sleep, and developing on-line sleep detection methods on novel hardware. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Prof Alex Casson / Dr Mahdi Saleh |
| Organisation | University of Manchester |
| Department | School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funding for the following pilot study has been approved: "closeNIT - On-device machine learning for closed-loop neuromodulation" |
| Collaborator Contribution | The research is still ongoing. |
| Impact | DOI: 10.36227/techrxiv.173203198.88764649/v1. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Prof Anne Lingford-Hughes / Dr Danielle Kurtin |
| Organisation | Imperial College London |
| Department | Division of Brain Sciences |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funding for the following pilot study has been approved: "Developing personalised Temporal Interference Stimulation of reward circuitry to improve decision making." |
| Collaborator Contribution | The research is still ongoing. |
| Impact | The research is still ongoing. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Prof Patrick Degenaar / Dr Peimin Yuan |
| Organisation | Newcastle University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| PI Contribution | Funding for the following pilot study has been approved: "closeNIT - Combined electronic and optogenetic cortical stimulation for visual prosthetics ". |
| Collaborator Contribution | The research is still ongoing. |
| Impact | A novel neurostimulator used to provide an array of closed-loop current steering and optogenetic control. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Professor George Malliaras / Dr Amparo Guemes |
| Organisation | University of Cambridge |
| Department | Department of Engineering |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funding for the following pilot study has been approved: "closeNIT - Neuro-Metabolic Dynamics in Epilepsy (NeuMeDE)" |
| Collaborator Contribution | The research has not yet commenced. |
| Impact | The research has not yet commenced. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Title | CADET-Trial |
| Description | Data analysis efforts will contribute to the planned CADET-Trial, a follow up to CADET-Pilot trial of DBS for paediatric Lennox Gastaut Syndrome with clinical teams at GOSH and KCH |
| Type | Therapeutic Intervention - Medical Devices |
| Current Stage Of Development | Initial development |
| Year Development Stage Completed | 2024 |
| Development Status | Under active development/distribution |
| Impact | The development will help support the planned CADET-Trial |
| Title | Pilot trial of taVNS |
| Description | Pilot trial of taVNS in clinical population being developed - funding secure from NIHR Newcastle BRC, to be sponsored by NuTH. |
| Type | Therapeutic Intervention - Medical Devices |
| Current Stage Of Development | Initial development |
| Year Development Stage Completed | 2024 |
| Development Status | Under active development/distribution |
| Impact | It will help extend the taVNS research to clinical population |
| Title | Realign circadian rhythms using closed loop control |
| Description | The grant funded work that could be seen as a very early development of a new public health intervention to stabilise or realign circadian rhythms using closed loop control. This is at proof of concept stage and results are preliminary - certainly no clinical trials on the horizon. |
| Type | Support Tool - For Medical Intervention |
| Current Stage Of Development | Initial development |
| Year Development Stage Completed | 2024 |
| Development Status | On hold |
| Impact | This could help stabilise or realign circadian rhythms using closed loop control |
| Title | Controlling software for taVNS closed-loop |
| Description | Java custom software for detection of respiratory cycle phases and automated delivery of respiratory-gated taVNS |
| Type Of Technology | Software |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Impact | N/A |
| URL | https://github.com/NewcastleRSE/Java_taVNS/tree/main |
| Title | Neurostimulator |
| Description | A novel neurostimulator used to provide an array of closed-loop current steering and optogenetic control. |
| Type Of Technology | Software |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Impact | It would help to combined electronic and optogenetic cortical stimulation for visual prosthetics |
| Title | TFLite_DAE_EEG |
| Description | This repository provides open-source software solutions for deploying AI models on embedded platforms, enabling researchers and developers to explore real-time inference and low-power machine learning applications. |
| Type Of Technology | Software |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Impact | By making this resource publicly available, we aim to accelerate research progress in AI-driven embedded systems and support further innovation in edge computing. |
| URL | https://github.com/MSH19/TFLite_DAE_EEG |
| Title | closed-loop TI stimulation PCB |
| Description | A custom-built PCB was produced for a limited run and handed out to all labs in attendance at the 'International Meeting on Temporal Interference Brain Stimulation'. |
| Type Of Technology | Physical Model/Kit |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Impact | This allows the user to test how linear their stimulation devices are, a necessity for avoiding artefacts and allowing for closed-loop TI stimulation. |
| Description | Brain & Chip '24: 2nd International Congress on Neural Engineering, Artificial Vision, and Intracortical Brain-Computer Interfaces |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Attendance at Brain & Chip '24: 2nd International Congress on Neural Engineering, Artificial Vision, and Intracortical Brain-Computer Interfaces, November 11, 2024 - November 13, 2024, University Miguel Hernandez, Elche, Spain |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Bridging the gap: Speed Dating for Parkinson's Patients and researchers |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Patients, carers and/or patient groups |
| Results and Impact | A patient engagement event was organised at the UK DRI Care and Technology Centre at Imperial College London called: "Bridging the gap: Speed Dating for Parkinson's Patients and researchers". This was an opportunity for patients and carers from the West London Research Interest Group of Parkinson's UK to meet our researchers and engage in the study design process. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Challenges and Opportunities for Closed-loop Neurotechnologies in the Clinic |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Around 60 people attended this 2-day event hosted by the University of Oxford, a partner institution. 16 guest speakers gave 25 minute talks on areas of research such as Challenges in Neurology, Psychiatry and Cognition, Challenges in Materials and Management, Challenges in Peripheral and Non-invasive Stimulation and on Novel Methods with Clinical Potential. The event included 3 discussion sessions where participants further explored the topics of each research area. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | CloseNIT Website |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The website serves as a tool for advertising the CloseNIT Network by providing information on the aims and workstreams, documents relating to funding calls, information of upcoming events and a sign-up pages. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022,2023,2024 |
| URL | https://research.ncl.ac.uk/close-nit/ |
| Description | Closed-loop Neuromodulation for Dementia |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | This was a hybrid seminar with international reach which aspired to advance this nascent field by exploring the rationale, challenges and opportunities for closed-loop neuromodulation in dementia and help seed its interdisciplinary research network. It included a series of short stimulating talks by leading experts in the field and group discussions. The seminar was hosted by the Closed-loop Neural Interface Technologies (Close-NIT) network and the UK Dementia Research Institute (UK-DRI) Centre at Imperial College London (ICL). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://research.ncl.ac.uk/close-nit/eventsfundingcalls/seminarclosed-loopneuromodulationfordementia... |
| Description | Closed-loop auditory stimulation of sleep slow waves: Development of the rodent technique and preclinical implementation seminar |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | This was a hybrid seminar hosted by University of Oxford and broadcasted by closeNIT. Speaker presented her latest work on highly specific slow-wave sleep modulation strategies in transgenic rodent models of disease, using innovative techniques, such as closed-loop acoustic stimulation of slow oscillations. Her ultimate goal is to provide tools for and proof that modulations of slow-wave sleep regulate protein clearance in the sleeping brain and, therefore, could be translated into novel non-invasive human therapies against Alzheimer and Parkinson Disease, the two most common protein aggregation-related neurodegenerative diseases. It sparked questions from participants online as well as in the room. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://research.ncl.ac.uk/close-nit/eventsfundingcalls/seminarclosed-loopauditorystimulationofsleep... |
| Description | Departmental engagement day |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | As part of the local public engagement committee the lead investigator (Van Rheede) will take part in engagement activities relating to the preclinical work (as part of broader departmental engagement day) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | How does the brain generate movement? a neural population view |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | In this hybrid seminar the speaker discussed some of the ongoing efforts to understand how the brain generates behaviour through the light of neural manifolds. This work combines neural and behavioural recordings from monkeys, mice, and humans, and computational models. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | MRS Boston 2023 conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Presentation of progress in project to an audience of ~100 researchers from various institutions. The research was well received by the audience. This sparked numerous conversations about impact, challenges, practicalities, and future of this research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Mental Health, Dementia and Neurodegeneration (MHDN) Theme Town Hall Event - Newcastle University |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Newcastle University FMS Mental Health, Dementia and Neurodegeneration (MHDN) Theme Town Hall Event - Thursday 10 October, 2024. Presented trial and underlying rationale to diverse crowd, including NHS clinicians and experts by experience. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | NEERM 2025 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | North East Epilepsy Research Meeting in 2025 taking place in Newcastle over 2 days. Co-organised by CloseNIT and the Computational Neurology, Neuroscience & Psychiatry Lab, it included presentations from academics, consultants and Epilepsy Research Institute who provided an overview of the latest research and practices. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Network meeting: Technologies and Applications for Closed-loop Neural Interfaces |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | A 2-day hybrid event held at the Henry Royce Hub Institute, Manchester University where 12 speakers presented their research across areas such models enabling early and rapid technology development; instrumentation and systems; control theory and machine learning for neurotechnologies and applications and clinical views finishing with an engaging workshop on road mapping and position paper planning. Further collaborations resulted from this event. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://research.ncl.ac.uk/close-nit/eventsfundingcalls/networkmeetingmay2024/ |
| Description | Network+ Meeting: Exploring the future of closed-loop neural interface technologies |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | This was a 2-day event hosted by the lead institution and was attended by 70 participants. The aim was to foster network amongst members and the event also aspired to exploring the future of closed-loop neural interface technologies. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://research.ncl.ac.uk/close-nit/eventsfundingcalls/networkmeetingseptember2023/ |
| Description | Neuromod+ / Close-NIT UK Symposium |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presentation on 'Closed-loop vibrotactile stimulation for dystonia ' at the Close-NIT / Neuromod+ Neurotechnology (CNN) meeting in Nottingham on the 12.09.2024 to a diverse audience |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Neuromod+ / Close-NIT UK Symposium |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Session on Public Involvement in Neurotechnology with a workshop on addressing challenges for implementation of PPI review panel. Approx. 40 people from diverse backgrounds (researchers, clinicians, people with lived experiences, charities, funders..) from the UK. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Online Launch Event |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Around 60 people attended a 3hr event to kick-off and advertise the CloseNIT Network. 5 guest speakers gave 20 minute talks on areas of research which are relevant to the Network, sparking questions and discussion amongst participants. Information was given regarding the first Network funding call, encouraging researchers to apply for the opportunity and signposting them to the application form and corresponding guidance. The event was recorded and posted on the CloseNIT website. We received a considerable increase in members signing up to the Network as a result of this event, and 22 high-quality funding applications. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://research.ncl.ac.uk/close-nit/eventsfundingcalls/closenitnetworkpluskick-offevent/ |
| Description | Open Day presentations at the University of Glasgow |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Open Day presentations at the University of Glasgow Planned presentation at the neurofeedback workshop (part of Neurotechnologies for Chronic Pain Network +) on 19/20 June 2025 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | PPI Session |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Patients, carers and/or patient groups |
| Results and Impact | PPI session in November 2024 with four people with lived experiences to guide the design of the clinical trial. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | PPIE in Neurotech workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Hybrid workshop to discuss what "success" in PPIE in neurotechnology looks like and where to find the best examples to learn from. Included contributions from patients, clinicians, researchers and regulators. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | R4N conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Patients, carers and/or patient groups |
| Results and Impact | Dr. Wako's research assistant attended the R4N conference and engaged with two members of the autistic community - a student and a representative of the European Council of Autistic People (EUCAP). In an online meeting in January, they discussed the project with three people, including the president of EUCAP. They gave us valuable insights into their experiences with artificial intelligence agents, their perspectives and their needs in our AI-driven society. They expressed their satisfaction and confirmed their willingness to participate in the co-production of this project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://neuromodplus.org/event2/respect-for-neurodevelopment-network-annual-event/ |
| Description | Restoring Communication with Intracortical Brain-Computer Interfaces |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Hybrid seminar led by the University of Cambridge. Speaker is one of the world's foremost experts on the application of image-guided surgical techniques to functional neurosurgical procedures such as the placement of deep brain stimulators for movement disorders, epilepsy, pain, and psychiatric diseases. His major research focus is in brain-machine interfaces for the restoration of movement and communication for people with severe neurological disorders. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://research.ncl.ac.uk/close-nit/eventsfundingcalls/seminarrestoringcommunicationwithintracortic... |
| Description | Shaping The Future of Closed-loop Neuromodulation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | A 3-day workshop in University of Cambridge where Early Career Researchers (ECRs) gathered to work in different neuromodulation techniques and applications to discuss the future of the field. This workshop combined research talks with professional development sessions. Participants had also the opportunity to work in groups to explore future directions in neurotechnology. The outcome of these discussions will be a collaborative paper outlining the perspectives of ECRs on the future of closed-loop neurotechnologies. The participants were highly motivated and the feedback was extremely positive with a general consensus that this initiative was completely innovative and many are hopeful for future events of this nature. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://research.ncl.ac.uk/close-nit/eventsfundingcalls/shapingthefutureofclosed-loopneuromodulation... |
| Description | Stall at the Great Exhibition Road Festival |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | One of the awardees led a stall at the Great Exhibition Road Festival related to closeNIT work. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | The Marmoset Workshop on Biomedical Research |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The Marmoset Workshop on Biomedical Research was organised on January 30, 2025 at Newcastle University by Kikuchi and her research team. This workshop provided a unique platform to showcase cutting-edge research and facilitate discussions on diverse topics, including behavioural science, neuroscience, and neurotechnology. The event served not only as a venue for scientific exchange but also as an opportunity to address challenges and explore new directions in marmoset biomedical research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | UK Symposium on Neuromodulation and Neurotechnology |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Symposium jointly hosted by Neuromod+ and closeNIT networks in Nottingham.The symposium included a showcase of network-funded research, plenary talks from international speakers, and sessions on PPI in neurotechnology, industry translation, and latest developments in neuromodulation. Bringing together academia, industry and PPI views in the same room enriched the discussions which was valued by all participants. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | UKSNN research showcase seminar |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Online session of the UK Symposium on Neuromodulation and Neurotechnology, hosted jointly by Neuromod+ and CloseNIT networks. This session will showcase the research of network awardees Wako Yoshida and Sophie Morse (talks postponed from the main symposium in September). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://research.ncl.ac.uk/close-nit/eventsfundingcalls/uksnnresearchshowcaseseminar/ |
| Description | User requirements for a wearable device |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Patients, carers and/or patient groups |
| Results and Impact | Dr Fischer has reached out to five patients after participating in her study to discuss their user requirements for a wearable device that could potentially provide daily symptom relief. The key requirements were that the EEG-based vibrotactile stimulation device should be discreet and lightweight. All patients registered strong interest in providing feedback on device designs and participate in future studies to test a mobile device over multiple consecutive weeks. Dr Fischer also met with a physiotherapist specialising on movement disorders to discuss her preliminary study findings. The physiotherapist confirmed that a device that could intermittently alleviate dystonic muscle contractions would be very useful for increasing the range of possible movements and stretched during a physiotherapy session. She also said that she would be keen to test a device in her practise if one would be made available. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |