Hybrid bioelectrical interface device

Abstract

A hybrid bioelectrical interface (HBI) device can be an implantable device comprising an abiotic component operable to transmit charge via electrons or ions; a biological component interfacing with the neural tissue, the biological component being sourced from biologic, biologically-derived, or bio-functionalized material; and a conjugated polymer component that together provide a means to chronically interface living neural tissue with electronic devices for extended durations (e.g. greater than 10 years). In some embodiments, conjugated polymers provide a functional electrical interface for charge transfer and signal transduction between the nervous system and an electronic device (e.g. robotic prosthetic limb, retinal implant, microchip).

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61 / 049,988 filed on May 2, 2008. The disclosure of the above referenced application is incorporated herein by reference.GOVERNMENT INTEREST[0002]This invention was made with government support under Grant No. W911NF0610218 awarded by the Army Research Office. The government has certain rights in the invention.FIELD[0003]The present technology relates to implantable hybrid bioelectrical interface devices that interface living neural tissue with artificial electronic components, in particular, neural-robotic bioelectrical coupling.BACKGROUND SUMMARY[0004]The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.[0005]Engineered limb prosthetics hold great potential for millions of spinal cord injury, neuromuscular disease, and amputation victims. Although sophisticated microelectronics and rob...

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Benefits of technology

[0067]These composite constructs can be directly coapted both proximally and distally to viable rat hindlimb peroneal nerves immediately after nerve transaction, creating an interposition. The interface between the viable nerve and the composite construct is created through direct epineural coaptation of the nerve to the composite material. This technique allows the individual axons to come in direct contact with the polymer deposited on the composite construct. Charge transfer between the abiotic component in contact at least partially with a conjugated polymer, e.g. PEDOT and nerve is thus possible. There is a notable lack of directionality to this interface. The HBI device embodied in this version, through varied stimulation locations, can thus be used for both efferent neural signal detection and signal delivery. The proximal biotic component can be stimulated with recording signals within the construct, whereby the construct is “sensing” the biologic depolarizing current and acting as a probe, or recording wire. Furthermore, the recording can be performed distal to the construct altogether. The construct interposition will sense, propagate, and deliver biologic currents. Although this is not a proposed in vivo use (the distal nerve will eventually undergo Wallerian ...

Problems solved by technology

Although sophisticated microelectronics and robotics facilitate ever closer approximations of human movement, interfacing the mechanical to the biological has proved challenging.

With these successful demonstrations, the practical aspects of using central neural electrodes for human deployment including their surgical invasiveness, biofouling, encapsulation, foreign body response, and reliance on capacitive and hig...

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