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The Grenoble-Neurotech project aims to develop neuroprostheses that enable paralyzed individuals to compensate—at least in part—for the loss of control over their upper limbs or speech. It combines new implantable neural interface solutions with methods and tools for real-time processing of neural signals. In addition, the project is exploring how these rehabilitation strategies can be extended to closed-loop therapeutic approaches for certain disabling psychiatric disorders, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder. This research is being conducted in conjunction with a discussion of the ethical and societal implications of these neurotechnological developments.

The Issues

Central nervous system disorders represent a major and growing public health and societal problem, affecting more than 5 million people in France today. Existing therapeutic solutions are no longer sufficient to address current challenges, so developing new, effective tools for the diagnosis, rehabilitation, and compensation of these neurological deficits has become a major scientific priority.

Interdisciplinarity

Grenoble-Neurotech brings together a network of 15 laboratories in the Grenoble area, including four research centers at the University of Grenoble Alpes (UGA) and the DRT-CEA, covering a wide range of complementary research fields such as advanced materials, micro- and nanotechnologies, microelectronics, mechanical engineering, robotics, signal processing, artificial intelligence and machine learning, neuroscience, neurophysiology, neurology, neurosurgery, ethics, philosophy, and the social sciences. The complementary nature of the teams involved enables a comprehensive approach to the development of new devices, facilitating the transition from basic research to clinical research while taking into account associated societal issues.

A Transformative Project

Grenoble-Neurotech’s goal is to bring together the interdisciplinary expertise available in Grenoble to develop new brain-computer interface (BCI) devices to support rehabilitation systems based on BCIs. The project focuses on fine motor skills (hand movements and speech) and anticipates future cognitive applications of BCIs for psychiatric disorders. The strong emphasis on ethical and philosophical considerations, in synergy with scientific and technological developments, is also expected to lead to significant societal impacts.

A national and international reach

The project’s objective is therefore timely, as it aims to make Grenoble competitive at a time when neurotechnologies are experiencing spectacular growth worldwide and to enhance the city’s visibility in this field. In parallel with R&D activities, coordination among program leaders will encourage partners to respond in a concerted manner to national initiatives as well as to calls for proposals under the Horizon Europe program. Furthermore, the project’s results will be commercialized through patents and technology transfers.

To increase the visibility of the Grenoble site

In the field of neurotechnologies, the Grenoble site is currently competing with high-profile “Neurotech” research centers organized into active networks, such as the Geneva region in French-speaking Switzerland and several hubs in Italy, Spain, Germany, and the United States. Given that several Grenoble-based neuroscience and neurotechnology groups are already well-known individually, the Grenoble-Neurotech project aims to create a collaborative framework and coordinate neurotechnology research among the various teams in the Isère region, in order to raise Grenoble’s profile in this field—in synergy with international initiatives, particularly through the establishment of international exchanges.