Openwater’s Open-LIFU heads to NC State and UNC for neurological research

By AI, Created 11:41 AM UTC, May 20, 2026, /AGP/ – Openwater is partnering with the Sharma Lab at NC State and UNC-Chapel Hill to study whether its portable Open-LIFU ultrasound device can noninvasively modulate neural activity. The research will examine potential uses in transverse myelitis and essential tremor, with broader implications for alternatives to surgery and medication.

Why it matters: - The collaboration could help determine whether low-intensity focused ultrasound can offer a noninvasive option for neurological and spinal cord conditions. - The work may point to alternatives to invasive procedures such as deep brain stimulation and to drug-based therapies. - The research focuses on conditions where better symptom control could improve mobility, function, and quality of life.

What happened: - Openwater announced a collaboration with the Sharma Lab in the Lampe Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering at North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. - The NC State and UNC-Chapel Hill research teams will deploy Openwater’s Open-LIFU device to study feasibility and potential effects. - The announcement was made May 7, 2026. - The work is being led by Nitin Sharma, an associate professor in the joint biomedical engineering department.

The details: - Open-LIFU is a portable, noninvasive device that delivers low-intensity focused ultrasound to targeted regions in the body and brain. - The Sharma Lab focuses on rehabilitation engineering and control systems. - The researchers plan to study focused ultrasound neuromodulation as a way to modulate neural activity in patients with spinal cord injuries and neurological disorders. - One study, led by Irena Dujmovic Basuroski of UNC’s Department of Neurology and the Bodford Family Transverse Myelitis Center, will examine whether focused ultrasound could improve symptoms in patients with transverse myelitis. - Transverse myelitis is a rare disorder in which the spinal cord becomes inflamed, causing pain, spasticity, mobility complications, and loss of bowel or bladder function. - Basuroski’s research is among the first human studies to examine focused ultrasound for potential transverse myelitis symptom relief. - The study will focus on patients at a stage when the chance for further functional recovery is limited. - Daniel Roque, a movement disorders specialist in UNC’s Department of Neurology, will use Open-LIFU to study essential tremor. - Roque’s work will test temporary modulation of tremor pathways by targeting both the brain and spinal cord. - The tremor research is intended to help explain the mechanisms behind tremor and how the peripheral and central nervous systems communicate. - Existing focused ultrasound treatments for tremor often involve tissue ablation and require extensive machinery. - Open-LIFU is designed as a portable, nonablative, modular system for testing central nervous system pathways. - Openwater says the device’s adaptable design and open-source software let researchers customize it for a wide range of research and potential clinical applications. - The system is already in active use at institutions including MIT and Hospital del Mar Research Institute in Barcelona. - Early research, including studies from the University of Arizona, suggests possible applications in neurological disorders, cancer, and mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression. - Openwater’s website is More information.

Between the lines: - The partnership positions Open-LIFU as a research platform rather than a finished therapy. - The study design suggests investigators are comparing a flexible, nonablative approach with more established but more invasive treatment options. - If the technology shows measurable effects in human studies, it could expand interest in ultrasound-based neuromodulation across multiple diseases. - Openwater is framing the work as part of a broader push for more precise, circuit-level treatment options instead of one-disease, one-drug development.

What’s next: - The NC State and UNC teams will begin testing Open-LIFU in the targeted research programs. - Researchers will assess whether the device can safely and effectively influence symptoms and neural pathways in the selected patient groups. - Additional findings from these studies could shape future neurological and spinal cord research using focused ultrasound.