Restoration of the senses and human communication: Sustainable Development Goals 3 and 9

PURPOSE

This invited commentary addresses the importance of the senses in human communication, outlines advances achieved with cochlear implants, and new research directions to improve neural prostheses.

RESULT

In severely deaf people, cochlear implants restore speech understanding and enable children to achieve spoken language. Research in neural prostheses is advancing the restoration of hearing, vision, tactile senses, movement and the management of epilepsy. Bio-inspired stimulation strategies incorporating temporal and spatial characteristics of neural responses may deliver improved speech, vision and tactile perception using prostheses. To achieve stable long-term stimulation, chronic inflammation at the brain-electrode interface may be reduced using ROCK/Rho signalling pathway inhibitors and materials with brain-mimicking properties.

CONCLUSION

This commentary paper addresses two Sustainable Development Goals: industry, innovation and infrastructure (SDG 9) and good health and well-being (SDG 3).