ITIS, Implantable Technology and Sensors, producing, trading, servicing and researching enterprise, d.o.o. Ljubljana

The Centre for Implantable Technology and Sensors was established at the end of 1993 and commenced operation in March 1994. The first project concept in implantable technology appeared in autumn 1992, on the basis of an invitation for applications from the Slovene Ministry of Science and Technology, which appears every year. The Slovene Ministry of Science and Technology approved the concept of founders, mostly young researchers and decided to support the establishment of the centre according to recommendations. The Centre for Implantable Technology and Sensors is run within ITIS d. o. o. Ljubljana, a private research company owned by cofounders. By March 1994, the laboratory and centre headquarters were both located at the Institute for Metal Materials and Technologies, Ljubljana. ITIS d. o. o. Ljubljana, Centre for Implantable Technology and Sensors deals mainly with the design and manufacture of implantable systems for neuromuscular stimulation. The Centre designs and produces various multielectrode systems for selective stimulation of the neuro-muscular and autonomous nervous system as well as electrode systems for selective recording of neural and muscular activity and signals from other excitable tussues. The group also deals with the design, manufacture and encapsulation of various sensors for medicine and industry. The Centre offers a theoretical and technical support to various research groups located at some public research institutions and at University of Ljubljana through collaboration on their basic research projects. The Centre produces various types of electronic braces and force transducers for measurements of torques and forces in human rehabilitation and animal experiments. The results obtained through research on previous basic project entitled: Functional selective stimulation of peripheral nerves and recording of their afferent activity with multielectrode spiral cuff systems, financed by the Ministry of Science and Technology of the Republic of Slovenia were transferred in rehabilitation practice. Namely, the Centre produces an implantable system called "Implantable Gait Corrector" for stimulation of the common peroneal nerve to prevent foot drop in hemiplegic patients. In all implanted patients, significant improvements of a gait with increased velocity were observed. The results also show that the problem of foot drop in hemiplegics is solved using described system. Finally, the Centre produces custom designed equipment for research laboratories especially for those conducting basic research through animal experiments. In the field concerning the recording of different biological signals in various basic research studies and the development of various diagnostic methods and methodologies the Centre is collaborating with Klinik Berlin from Germany. In the field of development and clinical applications of different implantable systems for functional electrical stimulation of paralyzed skeletal muscles the Centre is in contact with the FES Information Center located at Case Western University in Cleveland. Finally, the Centre every year supervises students coming from Hohns Hopkins University in Baltimore, U. S. A.. The principal investigator of basic research projects in the Centre has been selected for reviewing European framework. The Centre is also the participant in the research training project of the Fifth Framework Programme, The European Community.