https://phys.org/ en-us Latest news from Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia When it comes to recording and stimulating brain activity, scientists can rely on a formidable tool: light. An international research team, coordinated by IIT- Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (Italian Institute of Technology), has developed nanometric light modulators that, fabricated on a micrometric optical fiber, make the fiber capable of studying neuronal tissue in deep regions of the brain. The new approach, published in Advanced Optical Materials and featured on the journal's front cover, lays the groundwork for an innovative type of minimally invasive neural probe that can be used to study the central nervous system. In perspective, the nanomodulators will be employed to study specific brain diseases, including brain tumors and epilepsy. https://phys.org/news/2022-03-nanomodulators-optical-micro-probes-brain.html Optics & Photonics Thu, 03 Mar 2022 12:12:05 EST news565531922 HyVIS, the European project coordinated by the IIT-Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (Italian Institute of Technology), is about to start. By combining nanotechnology and optics, it will develop bionic synapses for retinal prostheses, designed to restore sight in people suffering from diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The project, which will last for four years, has received €3 million in EU funding under the Horizon 2020 program. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-12-hyvis-hybrid-synapses-retinal-dystrophies.html Ophthalmology Fri, 03 Dec 2021 13:42:14 EST news557761329