Bioengineering tools for probing and monitoring the cardiovascular system

Advancements in bioengineering paved the way for innovative tools that enhance our ability to probe and monitor the cardiovascular system. We created an open-source toolbox for analyzing microneurographic recordings from human peripheral nerves, enabling the study of both afferent and efferent axonal signals at various levels of detail, from multi- to single-unit activity. This program addresses the limitations of existing computational tools, which are often limited in scope or not open-source. Our toolbox enhances the observation of temporal sequences of action potentials within inherently cyclic signals, such as the heart cycle, introducing innovative methods and indices to improve analysis accuracy. In parallel, we developed implantable Fiber Bragg Grating-based soft sensors for continuous cardiac function monitoring. Validated both ex-vivo and in minipigs in-vivo, these sensors accurately tracked ventricular beats. Together, these tools offer comprehensive solutions for probing and monitoring the cardiovascular system, enabling the extraction of advanced metrics of neural activity and cardiac function, and providing valuable insights for diagnostic and therapeutic applications.