Aculight Corp. of Bothell, Wash., has received an $850,000 Small Business Innovation Research contract from the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md., to develop a laser-based vestibular implant. The device will use IR nerve stimulation to treat patients with balance and vision impairments that result from vestibular system damage. The two-phase award will fund a joint effort with the University of Washington in Seattle. The contract will enable Aculight to produce a device that can be used in research studies at the university before the company develops a model for clinical applications.