Congratulations to Marshall Trout on receiving a One-U Responsible AI Initiative (RAI) postdoctoral fellowship to advance neurotechnology that improves life for people with limb loss. His work focuses on AI-driven neural decoders that translate neural signals into movement commands—supporting more intuitive, customizable neuroprostheses.
Congratulations to Fredi on successfully completing his PhD proposal and becoming a new PhD candidate in the lab. This is a major milestone, and we’re excited to see where his dissertation research goes next.
Biologic Input Output Systems (BIOS), a startup spun out of the Utah NeuroRobotics Lab, has been recognized as an Emerging Company in the Healthcare & Life Sciences category of the Utah Business Innovation Awards. The company’s Universal Neural Interface builds intuitive connections between the brain and advanced robotics to help people with limb loss regain natural movement and sensation, translating decades of University of Utah research into real-world impact. Read more about BIOS and the three University of Utah startups honored in this year’s awards here.
Congratulations to Troy on successfully completing his PhD defense — a huge milestone and the culmination of years of focused work. We’re proud to celebrate this accomplishment and excited to see what he does next.
We’re proud to announce that BIOS, a company that spun out of our lab, has been named an Emerging Honoree in the Healthcare & Life Sciences category of the 2025 Utah Business Innovation Awards. This annual recognition celebrates the groundbreaking companies and technologies shaping Utah’s future — and BIOS’ inclusion highlights how research born in our lab is transforming lives beyond the university walls.
BIOS is pioneering a Universal Neural Interface that intercepts, captures, and edits neural signals — creating a bridge between the human nervous system and advanced prosthetic devices. This breakthrough technology addresses a critical challenge in prosthetic adoption: many users abandon devices due to limited control or lack of sensory feedback. BIOS’ innovations are designed to change that, making prosthetics that move and feel like a biological limb.
The company’s recognition is more than just an award — it’s a testament to the power of research translation and the impact of collaborative innovation. What began as an ambitious idea in our lab has grown into a technology with the potential to transform the lives of people with limb loss and neurological conditions.
We congratulate the BIOS team on this well-deserved honor and look forward to continuing our shared mission of advancing human-machine integration to improve quality of life.
🏆 Read the full announcement on Utah Business.
We are proud to celebrate Dr. Jacob A. George, Assistant Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, who was recognized as a current endowed chair holder at the 2025 U of U Health Celebrates Distinction event.
Dr. George holds the Solzbacher-Chen Endowed Chair in the Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering — a distinction that honors his pioneering work at the intersection of rehabilitation robotics, sensorimotor neural engineering, and bioinspired artificial intelligence
His research focuses on developing advanced neural interfaces and prosthetic technologies that restore movement and sensation to individuals with limb loss or neurological conditions. This work is a driving force behind the development of cutting-edge systems like the LUKE arm and has also led to the creation of BIOS, a company spun out of our lab that was recently named an Innovation Awards honoree by Utah Business.
Through his leadership and groundbreaking research, Dr. George is helping redefine wha t’s possible at the intersection of engineering, neuroscience, and patient care — improving quality of life and expanding the future of neurotechnology.
The University of Utah’s John and Marcia Price College of Engineering has announced the appointment of Dr. Jacob A. George as the new Solzbacher-Chen Endowed Professor in Electrical & Computer Engineering (ECE) and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R). This prestigious appointment marks a significant step in advancing the university’s commitment to interdisciplinary research and innovation at the interface of neural engineering and biomedical technology.
An endowment is a permanent fund established to provide ongoing financial support for specific academic initiatives or positions. The Solzbacher-Chen Endowed Professorship is particularly prestigious as it not only honors Dr. George’s exceptional achievements but also underscores the lasting investment in the fields of neural engineering and rehabilitation, ensuring continuous growth and development for years to come.
Florian Solzbacher, the Gerald and Barbara Stringfellow Endowed Professor in the Department of ECE, and Xiaoxin Chen, CEO of the Utah-based biotech startup Sentiomed Inc., were instrumental in establishing this endowment. Both Solzbacher and Chen have made groundbreaking contributions to neural engineering, and their vision of using advanced technologies to restore lost function due to injury or disease forms the cornerstone of this new initiative.
Solzbacher’s pioneering work in developing the Utah Electrode Array, a brain-computer interface that is widely considered the gold standard for restoring lost brain function, alongside Chen’s advancements in biocompatible hydrogel-based technologies, has provided the foundation for this important collaboration. Chen’s work with Sentiomed, which includes the development of implantable biomarker sensors, intracranial pressure sensors, and devices for optogenetics research, adds a critical dimension to the university's ongoing efforts in brain-computer interface research and neural restoration technologies.
Dr. George’s appointment comes after years of dedication and achievement. Under Solzbacher’s leadership as Chair of ECE, Dr. George played a key role in establishing the first alliance between the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering and the Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine. This groundbreaking collaboration has set the stage for Utah to become a global leader in neural engineering and brain-computer interface development.
The Solzbacher-Chen Endowed Professorship reflects a deep investment in Dr. George’s research and mentorship, which promises to inspire future generations of engineers, medical professionals, and researchers. In his thank-you speech, Dr. George shared, “I’m incredibly honored and humbled to be selected for this prestigious endowment. It’s a testament to the collaboration and support I’ve received from my mentors, colleagues, and students here at the University of Utah.”
His work is poised to make lasting impacts on the restoration of neural function and the improvement of quality of life for patients facing life-altering conditions. "I look forward to growing our neuroengineering program and continuing the incredible work we’re doing here in Utah," Dr. George added. "Together, we will advance the field, ensuring that the technologies we develop benefit patients and improve healthcare outcomes."
Through this appointment, Dr. George is expected to continue advancing the university’s standing in the fields of neural engineering, brain-computer interface technology, and rehabilitation medicine. Both Solzbacher and Chen emphasized their gratitude for the continued support of the Price College of Engineering and the University of Utah, with an eye toward a future where interdisciplinary collaboration leads to innovative solutions for the most pressing medical challenges.
This new chapter in Dr. George’s career not only elevates his personal achievements but also strengthens the University of Utah’s position as a world leader in neural engineering and rehabilitation research.
Huge congratulations to Ava Lloyd, Luke Jones, and Lily Nygard for their UROP Proposals being accepted and funded for the Spring 2025 semester! The Utah Undergraduate Research Program (UROP) funds students for up to two semesters of research. Each of these students submitted a project proposal under the direction of graduate and faculty mentors.
Ava is working in collaboration with an OT in the NRH to develop a walking aid for patients to use with parallel bars during gait rehabilitation.
Luke is working with MDs in the Emergency Medicine department to develop a sensorized glove to detect and prevent frostbite.
Lily is working to investigate the effects of electrical stimulation on upper-limb spasticity after a stroke!
Congratulations to Michael Adkins for passing his Electrical Engineering thesis proposal! Michael Adkins developed the Electronic Grip Gauge (EGG), a new kind of device to help assess and rehabilitate the hand function of those with neurological deficits. Michael’s PhD research will focus on using this device with hemiparetic stroke patients to determine its efficacy as an assessment and rehabilitation tool.
Congratulations to Michael Adkins on being awarded the University of Utah’s 2024 “Excellence in Innovation Graduate Student” Award at this years Innovation Awards. Michael Adkins was the sole awardee of this years award which recognizes a graduate student who has had an exceptional commitment to the development and translation of new technologies, devices, and innovations.
https://technologylicensing.utah.edu/news-events/university-of-utah-announces-2024-innovation-awards-recipients
“Michael Adkins exemplifies the intersection of clinical, business, engineering and scientific innovation. A standout M.D.-Ph.D. student in the Utah NeuroRobotics Lab, Adkins has earned multiple accolades, including an NIH diversity fellowship, a $50,000 NSF I-Corp grant, and $51,000 in business competition awards. His research has led to patents and multiple research articles, is not only scientifically rigorous but also demonstrates commercial viability and immediate clinical impact. Adkins’s ability to immerse himself in customer discovery and entrepreneurial competitions while developing groundbreaking technologies positions him as a rising leader in healthcare innovation.”
