A neural interface system

Abstract

This invention provides a neural interface system comprising: at least one microneedle, the microneedle including a liner and at least one body electrode, the liner having an arcuate structure, and the body electrode located on the outer side of the liner. When the human retina is damaged, the microneedle is placed within the eye socket, directly stimulating optic nerve cells with signals capable of reconstructing vision, thereby restoring visual perception function.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of medical devices, specifically relating to a neural interface system. Background Technology

[0002] A neural interface is a communication system that bypasses the normal output pathways composed of peripheral nerves and muscles, providing a new pathway for exchanging information with external devices. It can stimulate nerve cells to generate action potentials through external devices, or record these action potentials, thereby enabling bidirectional communication between nerve cells and external devices. Therefore, neural interfaces are widely used in the research and treatment of various neurological diseases, including those affecting the human visual system.

[0003] Due to trauma, work environment, or aging, the retina in the human eye can be damaged or detached, causing blindness or vision impairment. In recent years, with continuous technological advancements, artificial retinal repair technology has emerged. This technology directly converts light signals into electrical signals, then uses these signals to stimulate the inner retinal cells, potentially restoring vision to some extent. Currently, this technology has become a research hotspot in the field of vision restoration. Implantable artificial retinal electrodes often use rigid silicon electrodes or flexible non-silicon electrodes. The clarity of the image perceived by the patient depends on the number of implanted electrodes, similar to the pixels in a digital camera; the more electrodes, the clearer the perceived image. However, traditional silicon / non-silicon technologies have fewer electrode points, making it impossible to differentiate the reading of optic nerve signals or the application of differentiated weak current stimulation to the optic nerve, thus failing to meet the body's requirements for visual effects. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the shortcomings and deficiencies of the existing technology, the purpose of this invention is to provide a neural interface system that can directly stimulate nerve cells with signals transmitted from outside the eye when the human retina is damaged, thereby restoring the visual perception function.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following specific technical solution: a neural interface system is provided, comprising: at least one microneedle body, the microneedle body including a liner and at least one body electrode, the liner having an arc-shaped structure, and the body electrode located on the outside of the liner.

[0006] In one alternative embodiment, an external device is also included, which includes a collection unit and a processing unit.

[0007] In one alternative embodiment, the acquisition unit is used to acquire an image; the processing unit is used to convert the image into a stimulus signal for visual reproduction.

[0008] In one alternative embodiment, the external device further includes a first wireless coil, and a second wireless coil is disposed on the microneedle body side;

[0009] The first wireless coil is used to transmit stimulation signals, and the second wireless coil is used to receive stimulation signals.

[0010] In one alternative embodiment, the body electrode is implanted into the optic nerve.

[0011] In one alternative embodiment, the neural interface system further includes a fixation element to secure the microneedles within the eye socket.

[0012] In one alternative embodiment, at least two of the body electrodes have different lengths.

[0013] In one alternative embodiment, the length of the body electrode located in the middle region is greater than the length of the body electrodes located in the two edge regions.

[0014] In one alternative embodiment, the length of the body electrode located in the middle region is less than the length of the body electrodes located in the two edge regions.

[0015] In one optional embodiment, the number of microneedles is multiple, and the microneedles formed by the multiple microneedles are arc-shaped.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0017] The present invention provides a neural interface system for placing microneedles in the eye socket when the human retina is damaged, and directly stimulating optic nerve cells with signals that can reconstruct vision, thereby restoring visual perception function.

[0018] This invention can customize a three-dimensional array of multi-contact microneedles to match the degree of damage to the human eye's retina, enabling multi-contact reading of individual nerve action potentials and weak current stimulation of the optic nerve.

[0019] This invention, by designing independent body electrodes and body electrode points on a single microneedle, enables the reading and writing of nerve cell potential signals at the same location, thereby achieving synchronous compensation and correction of visual information and providing a better visual experience for people with visual impairment. Attached Figure Description

[0020] To more clearly illustrate the technical solution of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly described below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of the present invention and should not be regarded as a limitation on the scope of protection of the present invention. In the various drawings, similar components are numbered similarly.

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a neural interface system proposed in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the body electrode proposed in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the indium pillar interconnect integrated circuit chip circuit structure proposed in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Among them, 1-microneedle body, 2-integrated circuit chip, 3-body electrode, 4-wire, 5-body electrode point, 6-connecting line, 7-indium pillar, 8-contact electrode, 9-polycrystalline gate, 10-silicon substrate. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments.

[0026] The components of the embodiments of the invention described and illustrated herein can typically be arranged and designed in various different configurations. Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the invention.

[0027] In the following, the terms “comprising,” “having,” and their cognates, which may be used in various embodiments of the invention, are intended only to indicate a particular feature, number, step, operation, element, component, or combination thereof, and should not be construed as excluding, firstly, the presence of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof, or adding the possibility of one or more features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof.

[0028] Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used only to distinguish descriptions and should not be interpreted as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0029] Unless otherwise specified, all terms used herein (including technical and scientific terms) shall have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the various embodiments of the invention pertain. Terms (such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries) shall be interpreted as having the same meaning as in their contextual meaning in the relevant technical field and shall not be interpreted as having an idealized or overly formal meaning, unless clearly defined in the various embodiments of the invention.

[0030] Example 1:

[0031] This embodiment provides a neural interface system, comprising: at least one microneedle, each microneedle including a liner and at least one body electrode, the liner having an arc-shaped structure, and the body electrode located outside the liner. Multiple microneedles are present, and the microneedles formed by the multiple microneedles are arc-shaped. The body electrode is implanted into the optic nerve to send stimulation signals to the optic nerve or to acquire optic nerve signals.

[0032] In one optional embodiment, an external device is also included, comprising a data acquisition unit and a processing unit. The data acquisition unit acquires images; the processing unit converts the images into stimulus signals for visual reconstruction. The data acquisition unit may be positioned near the eye socket, and the processing unit near the ear. The data acquisition unit can act as a human eye, acquiring images from the external environment. The processing unit converts the images into stimulus signals that can reproduce vision, and sends these stimulus signals to the optic nerve via body electrodes. The optic nerve then transmits the stimulus signals to the brain's neural center to reconstruct vision.

[0033] In practical applications, the external device further includes a first wireless coil, and a second wireless coil is disposed on the side of the microneedle; the first wireless coil is used to send stimulation signals, and the second wireless coil is used to receive stimulation signals.

[0034] In one alternative embodiment, the neural interface system further includes a fixation element to secure the microneedles within the eye socket. The fixation element may be a nail or adhesive, etc.

[0035] In practical applications, at least two of the body electrodes have different lengths. In one optional embodiment, the body electrode located in the middle region is longer than the body electrodes located in the two edge regions. In another optional embodiment, the body electrode located in the middle region is shorter than the body electrodes located in the two edge regions.

[0036] In an optional embodiment, the neural interface system includes a plurality of microneedles, at least two of which have liner plates with different radii of curvature, thereby splicing the plurality of microneedles into a spherical microneedle. In an optional embodiment, the liner plate located in the middle region has a larger radius of curvature than the liner plate located in the edge region.

[0037] In this embodiment, the neural interface system is used to place microneedles in the eye socket when the human retina is damaged, and directly stimulate the optic nerve cells with signals that can reconstruct vision, thereby restoring the person's visual perception function.

[0038] Example 2

[0039] Combination Figure 1 and Figure 2 One embodiment of the present invention discloses a neural interface system, which includes multiple microneedles 1 and an integrated circuit chip 2 (CMOS). The multiple microneedles 1 are assembled together by a restraint device to form an array structure. Each microneedle includes at least one body electrode 3, and the body electrode 3 is provided with at least one body electrode point 5. The multiple microneedles can form a multi-contact array, enabling the reading of optic nerve signals or the application of weak current stimulation to the optic nerve through the body electrode points, thereby improving the spatial resolution and signal accuracy of the optic nerve. Simultaneously, bonding the microneedles 1 to the integrated circuit chip 2 enables signal input and output functions, effectively solving the problem of insufficient contact points for the body electrode 3 in existing implantable artificial retina using silicon / non-silicon technology.

[0040] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the restraint device is a hollow hemisphere, and the microneedle body 1 is fixed thereon to form a spike-like microneedle array. When the microneedle array is inserted into the optic nerve, the restraint device can fit tightly against the eyeball. Therefore, the restraint device is not a regular hollow hemisphere, but a biomimetic shape based on the human eyeball. It is made of flexible material and will not cause friction or discomfort when implanted in the fundus due to frequent eyeball rotation.

[0041] Example 3

[0042] According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, the microneedle body 1 includes multiple body electrodes 3, which are independent of each other. Each body electrode 3 has multiple body electrode points 5, which are also independent of each other. Each body electrode point 5 can collect different and mutually non-interfering electrical signals depending on the degree of insertion into the nerve tissue, or, through the integrated circuit chip 2, apply weak current stimulation of different potentials at different cortical depths at the same location, forming a higher resolution visual sensory experience. The microneedle body 1, with multiple body electrodes 3, can also simultaneously perform signal reading and stimulation operations.

[0043] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the retina of the human eye is a symmetrical structure, but the location of retinal damage caused by disease or trauma varies. When only one side of the symmetrically positioned retina is damaged, the microneedles 1 on both sides can compensate for each other by reading and writing potential signals, thereby restoring visual function. Specifically, the integrated circuit chip 2 can control the body electrode point 5 on the microneedle 1 on the undamaged side of the retina to read the potential signal of the optic nerve. Then, the integrated circuit chip 2 calculates the imaging angle according to the specific position of the microneedle 1 inserted into the retina, and then controls the body electrode point 5 on the symmetrical side of the microneedle 1 to output the corrected potential signal to compensate for and correct the visual perception of the human eye.

[0044] According to another embodiment of the present invention, when the human retina is partially damaged, different body electrodes 3 on the same microneedle body 1 can be used to realize the functions of reading and stimulation respectively. That is, the electrical signal obtained by the original human retina is compared and corrected by the integrated circuit chip 2 with the potential signal converted from the image information captured by the external device. Then, the optic nerve is stimulated with a weak current by another body electrode 3 on the same microneedle body 1. Due to the development of 5G technology, the above signals can be compensated and corrected in real time, providing a better visual experience for people with visual impairment.

[0045] Example 4

[0046] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the binding device of the microneedle body 1 is made of a flexible transparent material. Because the degree of damage to the human retina varies depending on the type of retinal injury, when the retina is completely or mostly detached due to trauma or disease, the original retina can no longer perform normal imaging functions. In this case, the artificial retina can completely replace the human retina. The acquired external image information is converted into electrical signals by an integrated circuit chip, and then weak current stimulation of the optic nerve and cell axons is applied through the body electrode points 5 on the microneedle body 1 to form human visual perception. At this time, external light and images can no longer be imaged on the original human retina. There are no special requirements for the material and placement of the binding device and the integrated circuit chip 2; non-transparent materials can be used, and the integrated circuit chip 2 can also be placed at the front end of the retina or binding device. However, when the retina is partially damaged or partially detached, it still retains some visual imaging functions. Placing a hemispherical artificial retina on the inner surface of the retina will block the entry of the original light. In this case, choosing a transparent material for the binding device of the microneedle body 1 allows the body electrode points 5 to read or stimulate the optic nerve or cell axons without hindering some sensory functions of the original human retina.

[0047] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the integrated circuit chip 2 is also in the form of a hollow hemisphere, which fits well with the restraint device of the neural interface system, and the neural interface system is bonded to the integrated circuit chip through the restraint device.

[0048] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the component formed by the neural interface system and the restraint device is electrically connected to the integrated circuit chip, which is placed outside the eyeball to reduce the impact of the heat generated by the integrated circuit chip on the imaging function of the human retina.

[0049] Example 5

[0050] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the microneedles 1 in the neural interface system are of equal length, and the tips of the multiple microneedles form a hemispherical arc surface; according to another embodiment of the present invention, the microneedles 1 are of unequal length and are differentiated according to the degree of retinal damage, forming a multi-contact array with varying degrees of contact.

[0051] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the microneedles 1 in the neural interface system are uniformly distributed on the restraint device; according to another embodiment of the present invention, the microneedles 1 are unevenly distributed on the restraint device, and the distribution density of the microneedles is set according to the degree of retinal damage and sensory needs. For people with partial retinal damage, a denser microneedle array can be set in the local area of ​​retinal damage, while a sparser microneedle array or no array can be set in the undamaged area.

[0052] Specifically, three-dimensional microneedles can be designed based on the examination results of human retinal damage, forming a multi-contact array corresponding to the degree of retinal damage. The body electrode 3 on the microneedle body 1 can be cut, and a protective film is provided at the cut end of the cut body electrode 3.

[0053] Example 6

[0054] like Figure 3 As shown, the integrated circuit chip 2 is a readout circuit, including a silicon substrate 10, on which contact electrodes 8 and polysilicon gates 9 are implanted. The silicon substrate is a P-type silicon substrate, and the indium pillars implanted on the integrated circuit chip 2 are electrically connected to the silicon substrate 7 via connecting lines 6.

[0055] This invention also discloses a method for preparing microneedles, comprising the following steps:

[0056] S1. Microneedles are fabricated using standard MEMS fabrication processes;

[0057] S2. Process at least one bulk electrode point on the microneedle body;

[0058] S3. Indium pillars are implanted on the microneedle and the integrated circuit chip, respectively;

[0059] S4. The microneedle body with indium pillars is bonded to the integrated circuit chip to form a microneedle assembly. Multiple microneedle assemblies are assembled together by a binding device to form a microneedle.

[0060] The multiple body electrode points 5 on the microneedle body 1 are connected to the indium pillars 7 on the microneedle body 1 via connecting lines 6. These connecting lines are metal wires made of a metallic material, such as gold. In practical applications, the body electrode points 5 are connected to a first solder joint on the microneedle via the connecting lines 6, and the indium pillars 7 are positioned on this first solder joint, thereby connecting the body electrode points 5 to the integrated circuit chip 2.

[0061] Furthermore, the body electrode points 5 on the body electrode 3 can be distributed in the same column or in different columns, depending on the width of the body electrode 3 and the actual situation. When the body electrode points 5 are distributed in different columns, the body electrode points 2 in adjacent columns can be staggered.

[0062] According to one embodiment of this application, the body electrode 5 is used to collect optic nerve signals and transmit the collected optic nerve signals to the integrated circuit chip 2. The integrated circuit chip 2 is used to receive optic nerve signals collected by some of the body electrode 5, and can also send electrical signals to some of the body electrode 5 to restore visual perception function. That is, after the microneedle body 1 is bonded to the integrated circuit chip 2, the signal input and output functions can be realized, and the action potential of a single nerve cell can be read and weak current stimulation can be realized.

[0063] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of the present invention, and while the descriptions are specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these modifications and improvements all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of this patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A neural interface system, characterized in that, include: The system includes at least one microneedle, comprising a liner and at least one body electrode. The liner has an arc-shaped structure, and the body electrode is located on the outside of the liner. It also includes an external device comprising a data acquisition unit and a processing unit. The neural interface system further includes an integrated circuit chip and a restraint device. The restraint device is a hollow hemisphere, on which the microneedle is fixed to form a spike-like microneedle array. When the microneedle array is inserted into the optic nerve, the restraint device can fit tightly against the eyeball. When the retina at a symmetrical position is damaged on one side, the integrated circuit chip controls the body electrode points on the undamaged side of the microneedle to read the potential signal of the optic nerve. Then, the integrated circuit chip calculates the imaging angle based on the specific position of the microneedle insertion into the retina, and then controls the body electrode points on the symmetrical side of the microneedle to output a corrected potential signal to compensate for and correct the visual perception of the human eye.

2. The neural interface system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The acquisition unit is used to acquire images; the processing unit is used to convert the images into stimulus signals for visual reproduction.

3. The neural interface system as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The external device also includes a first wireless coil, and a second wireless coil is disposed on the side of the microneedle; the first wireless coil is used to send stimulation signals, and the second wireless coil is used to receive stimulation signals.

4. The neural interface system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The body electrode is implanted into the optic nerve.

5. The neural interface system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The neural interface system also includes a fixation device to fix the microneedles in the eye socket.

6. The neural interface system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, At least two of the body electrodes have different lengths.

7. The neural interface system as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The length of the body electrode located in the middle region is greater than the length of the body electrodes located in the two edge regions.

8. The neural interface system as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The length of the body electrode located in the middle region is less than the length of the body electrodes located in the two edge regions.

9. The neural interface system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The number of microneedles is multiple, and the microneedles formed by the multiple microneedles are arc-shaped.

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