Pleshkov Maksim, first year postgraduate student of Tomsk State University (TSU) physics faculty general and experimental physics department.
Scientific supervisors: V.P. Demkin, doctor of physical and mathematical sciences, head of general and experimental physics department, professor of TSU, Russia; Herman Kingma, professor of Maastricht University, the Netherlands.
The research topic is “Modeling of physical processes in human vestibular system in order to optimize vestibular implant transfer function”.
The research is aimed at construction of human vestibular system (VS) physical model in order to obtain fundamental knowledge of anatomy and physiology of human VS, in particular, the most interesting item is mechanical-electrical transformation of acceleration stimuli, i.e. transfer function. The scientific novelty of research is in application of theoretical physical knowledge for vestibular implantation technique improvement, which is the main method for efficient treatment of patients with bilateral vestibular loss.
The research is conducted on the base of world-level laboratory “Modeling of physical processes in biology and medicine” of TSU together with Maastricht University.
Raymond van de Berg, first year postgraduate student at general and experimental physics department of TSU physics faculty, PhD student of Maastricht University.
Scientific supervisors: V.P. Demkin, doctor of physical and mathematical sciences, head of general and experimental physics department, professor of TSU, Russia; Herman Kingma, professor of Maastricht University, the Netherlands.
PhD Maastricht: Feasibility of a Vestibular implant
To show the feasibility of a vestibular implant in human patients with a bilateral vestibular hypofunction. This included reviews of challenges in diagnosis of bilateral vestibulopathy and an update about all research related to vestibular implants. Next to this, the feasibility of the intralabyrinthine surgical access was evaluated. Regarding the stimulation paradigm, the frequency dependency of the vestibulo-ocular reflex has been evaluated as well as the interaction between the input provided by residual vestibular function and the input provided by the vestibular implant. Functional benefits of the vestibular implant have been investigated by testing dynamic visual acuity. Eventually, all results obtained in the implanted pool of patients were described.
PhD Tomsk: Optimization of signal analysis
Optimization of signal analysis is necessary to allow reliable quantification of residual vestibular function and responses to vestibular implantation. The pool of 12 patients already implanted with a “proof of concept” VCI will be tested and the obtained data will be used for evaluation of different signal analysis paradigms (e.g. pure raw data, wavelet analysis, neural networks, deep-learning, etc.). The most optimal paradigm will be identified. The step-by-step plan will involve identifying the problems resulting from reconstruction of eye movements into 2D signals, testing paradigms for artifact reduction and a proposal of other paradigms for signal analysis.