An independent academy that builds bridges between science, business and politics

The Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA) is an independent academy with a mission “...to promote engineering and economic sciences and the advancement of business and industry for the benefit of society.” We bring together leading engineers, economists, researchers, entrepreneurs and leaders in business and the public sector, who contribute generously to IVA’s operations through their intellectual capital and their engagement.

A meeting place for Sweden's future

IVA believes in humanity’s capacity to contribute positively to society through the engineering and economic sciences. We run a number of projects and programmes, produce reports, knowledge bases and policy proposals, and organise open seminars and meetings nationwide. We also recognise and encourage the efforts of others by awarding distinctions and grants.

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Implants working together for pain and paralysis

Implants working together for pain and paralysis

Implanted devices treat chronic pain and spinal cord injury, but they still work in isolation. Our communication technology enables real‑time data exchange between implants, opening the door to more precise, adaptive, and responsive therapy.

Year:

2026

University:

Uppsala University

Responsible Researcher:

Robin Augustine, Ph.D., Associate Professor, CTO, Pramod Rangaiah, Ph.D., Bappaditya Mandal, Ph.D., Roger Karlsson, Ph.D., Payali Das, Ph.D., Laya Joseph, M.Sc., Arvind Selvan, M.Sc., Mark Schneider, M.Sc., CEO

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Millions of people live with chronic pain or reduced function after spinal cord injury. Implanted devices offer relief, but today's systems work in isolation and cannot adjust stimulation dynamically based on what is happening in the body. Our technology creates a high-speed communication link between implants, something no current wireless standard reliably achieves inside the human body. This enables implants to coordinate continuously, like a nervous system rather than isolated devices. The platform is being validated for chronic pain treatment first, with spinal cord injury rehabilitation as the next application. We are seeking collaboration with medical device companies, clinics, and healthcare systems.