Abstract
The project aims to develop a novel piezoelectric bio-nanofibre based acoustic sensor that can convert sound waves into electricity, directly exciting the neurons of the auditory nerve and/or pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) induced auditory neurons. The collagen or silk fibroin/nano-cellulose composites nanofibers will be fabricated and assembled into bio-mimicking cochlea-like sensors. The response of spinal ganglia neurons to nanofibrous membranes and sensors will be investigated in vitro. The proposed device has potential to provide high quality, more natural rather than purely electrical, sound in a biologically inspired manner for improved speech recognition, music appreciation and superior functionality in noisy environments. Implantable sensors, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine techniques will be translated meticulously for developing the pertinent device- auditory neural interface.
References
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