An integrated fixation system for an animal brain-machine interface

Abstract

This invention discloses an integrated fixation system for animal brain-computer interfaces, belonging to the fields of biomedical engineering and animal robotics. It includes a protective helmet that fits snugly against the front of the target animal's head via cushioning pads; an electrode shield positioned above the electrode implantation points on the target animal; and a flexible circuit board disposed inside the protective helmet. The electrode implantation points on the electrode shield are connected to the flexible circuit board via short pins, and the flexible circuit board is connected to a main control device mounted on the back of the target animal via a data bus. This invention absorbs and isolates external impacts step by step, effectively protecting the implanted electrodes and ensuring their long-term stability in place.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the fields of biomedical engineering and animal robotics, and specifically relates to an integrated fixation system for animal brain-computer interfaces. Background Technology

[0002] In brain-computer interface research using free-moving animals (such as experimental pigeons), ensuring the long-term physical stability and signal reliability of implanted electrodes is a key challenge. Current technologies primarily rely on biocompatible adhesives or bone cement to passively reinforce the skull implantation site. However, when animals move around in natural or semi-natural environments, collisions and pecking are unavoidable. These impacts can easily lead to loosening of the electrode caps and electrode displacement failure.

[0003] A more significant problem is that the long, flexible wires connecting the head electrodes to the main control device on the animal's back generate continuous traction and swaying forces during animal movement, which are directly transmitted to the fragile electrode-skull interface, posing a significant risk of failure. Furthermore, the exposed electrode implantation points and circuitry lack necessary physical protection, making them susceptible to liquid intrusion and dirt contamination.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need in this field for a new type of protective system that can isolate external forces from the mechanical structure, achieve high circuit integration, and cause minimal interference to animal behavior. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: An integrated fixation system for animal brain-computer interfaces, comprising: A protective helmet, wherein the protective helmet is fitted to the front of the head of the target animal by means of cushioning padding; An electrode protective cover is disposed above the electrode implantation point on the target animal; A flexible circuit board, wherein the flexible circuit board is disposed inside the protective helmet; The electrode implantation points on the electrode protective cover are connected to the flexible circuit board via short pins, and the flexible circuit board is connected to the main control device installed on the back of the target animal via a data bus.

[0006] Furthermore, the protective helmet includes a helmet cover and a helmet hinge, wherein the helmet cover is inserted into the helmet hinge.

[0007] Furthermore, a camera is provided at the front end of the protective helmet, and the camera is connected to the flexible circuit board; The protective helmet is provided with a short pin header and a data bus header at the tail end. The short pin header is used to pass through the short pin header, and the data bus header is used to pass through the data bus.

[0008] Furthermore, the cushioning pad has a three-layer composite structure, comprising an outer layer, a middle layer, and an inner layer, which are stacked sequentially. The outer layer is bonded to the inner wall of the protective helmet, the middle layer is an energy-absorbing layer with a three-dimensional array lattice structure, and the inner layer is used to bond to the head of the target animal.

[0009] Furthermore, the electrode protective cover includes a protective cover and a protective base; The protective base is arranged around the electrode implantation point; the protective cover is detachably inserted into the protective base and is located directly above the electrode implantation point.

[0010] Furthermore, the protective seat includes two opposing bionic claw-type fitting seats, which are connected by a plurality of inclined guide plates. The data bus passes through the gap between adjacent inclined guide plates.

[0011] Furthermore, the biomimetic claw-type fitting seat is composed of multiple claw structures for fitting animal skulls, with gaps between each claw structure.

[0012] Furthermore, a physical buffer gap is formed between the protective helmet and the electrode shield.

[0013] Furthermore, the flexible circuit board can be folded and attached to the inner wall of the protective helmet. The flexible circuit board integrates an electrode signal input / output interface, a data bus interface, a signal processing chip, an operational amplifier circuit, and a miniature accelerometer.

[0014] A method for monitoring and stimulating brain-computer interface signals in an integrated fixation system for animal brain-computer interfaces, as described above, includes the following steps: S1. Place the system on the animal's head; S2. Acquire neural electrical signals through the electrode implantation point and process them using the integrated signal processing chip. S3. Transmit the processed data to the main control device via the data bus; S4. The main control device sends the data to the remote control terminal for recording or to send stimulation commands.

[0015] Beneficial effects: (1) Through the layered design of “thin shell helmet - buffer gap - independent protective cover”, external impacts are absorbed and isolated step by step, thereby effectively protecting the implanted electrode and ensuring its long-term stability in place.

[0016] (2) The short pins are used to directly connect to the flexible circuit board inside the helmet so that the external pulling force stops at the helmet connection port and avoids being conducted to the electrode-skull interface.

[0017] (3) The signal acquisition, processing and stimulation driving circuits are integrated into a micro flexible circuit board and built into the helmet, which significantly reduces the weight and volume of the system and minimizes interference with the animal's flight and daily behavior.

[0018] (4) The electrode shield has physical shielding and flow guiding functions, which can improve waterproof and dustproof performance; the thin-shell helmet has controllable breakage characteristics, which enhances the system's adaptability and reliability in outdoor and complex environments. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention; Figure 2 This is an exploded view of the structure of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the cushioning pad structure of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional array structure of the cushioning pad of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the symmetrical claw structure of the protective seat of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the wiring port structure of the protective helmet of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the short pin header routing of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the data bus routing of the present invention; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the multi-level protective structure of the present invention; Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the integrated control principle of the present invention; Explanation of reference numerals in the attached diagram: 1. Camera; 2. Protective helmet; 2-1. Helmet cover; 2-2. Helmet cap; 2-1-1. Data bus connector; 2-2-1. Short pin header connector; 3. Electrode protective cover; 3-1. Protective cover; 3-2. Protective base; 3-2-1. Claw structure; 3-2-2. Inclined guide plate; 4. Electrode interface; 5. Buffer pad; 5-1. Outer layer; 5-2. Inner layer; 5-3. Middle layer; 6. Flexible circuit board; 7. Data bus; 8. Short pin header. Detailed Implementation

[0020] This section will describe in detail specific embodiments of the present invention. Preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown in the accompanying drawings. The purpose of the drawings is to supplement the textual description with graphics, so that people can intuitively and vividly understand each technical feature and overall technical solution of the present invention, but they should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0021] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the orientation descriptions, such as up, down, front, back, left, right, etc., are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limiting this invention.

[0022] In the description of this invention, "several" means one or more, "more than" means two or more, "greater than," "less than," and "exceeding" are understood to exclude the stated number, while "above," "below," and "within" are understood to include the stated number. The use of "first" and "second" in the description is merely for distinguishing technical features and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, or implicitly indicating the number of indicated technical features, or implicitly indicating the order of the indicated technical features.

[0023] In the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly defined, terms such as "set up," "install," and "connect" should be interpreted broadly, and those skilled in the art can reasonably determine the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention in conjunction with the specific content of the technical solution.

[0024] Example 1

[0025] refer to Figures 1-9 An integrated fixation system for animal brain-computer interfaces, comprising: Protective helmet 2, which is fitted to the front of the target animal's head by a cushioning pad 5; Electrode protective cover 3 is positioned above the electrode implantation point on the target animal; Flexible circuit board 6 is installed inside the protective helmet 2; Among them, the electrode implantation point on the electrode protective cover 3 is connected to the flexible circuit board 6 through the short pin row 8, and the flexible circuit board 6 is connected to the main control device installed on the back of the target animal through the data bus 7.

[0026] Preferably, the protective helmet 2 includes a helmet cover 2-1 and a helmet hinge 2-2, with the helmet cover 2-1 and the helmet hinge 2-2 being inserted into each other.

[0027] Preferably, a camera 1 is provided at the front end of the protective helmet 2, and the camera 1 is connected to the flexible circuit board 6; The tail end of the protective helmet 2 is provided with a short pin header 2-2-1 and a data bus header 2-1-1. The short pin header 2-2-1 is used to pass through the short pin header 8, and the data bus header 2-1-1 is used to pass through the data bus 7.

[0028] In this embodiment, the protective helmet 2 is the primary protection and load-bearing body of the system, covering the front of the target animal's head. Its main body is made of lightweight and high-strength engineering plastics (such as polycarbonate or modified ABS), and is integrally molded by 3D printing or precision injection molding. To achieve extreme lightweighting, the overall wall thickness of the helmet is designed as a thin shell structure of less than 1 mm. While ensuring necessary rigidity, the weight can be controlled to within 1 gram. When subjected to severe impact, this thin shell structure can undergo controllable fragmentation or plastic deformation through preset mechanical properties, thereby dissipating most of the impact energy. As a "sacrificial" safety mechanism, it prevents the equipment from being forcibly torn off and causing harm to the animal.

[0029] Preferably, the cushioning pad 5 has a three-layer composite structure, which includes an outer layer 5-1, a middle layer 5-3 and an inner layer 5-2, and is stacked in sequence. The outer layer 5-1 is bonded to the inner wall of the protective helmet 2, the middle layer 5-3 is an energy absorption layer with a three-dimensional array lattice structure, and the inner layer 5-2 is used to bond to the head of the target animal.

[0030] In this embodiment, the intermediate layer 5-3 has a three-dimensional array lattice configuration (e.g., a tetrahedral or cubic lattice); this engineered porous structure can efficiently disperse point impact forces and convert them into material deformation energy through the elastic bending of the lattice arms and cavity compression when subjected to external forces, thereby absorbing and buffering everyday bumps and pecking forces from the front, sides, and top.

[0031] In this embodiment, the cushioning pad 5 is made of a flexible material.

[0032] Preferably, the electrode protective cover 3 includes a protective cover 3-1 and a protective base 3-2; The protective base 3-2 is arranged around the electrode implantation point; the protective cover 3-1 is detachably inserted into the protective base 3-2 and is located directly above the electrode implantation point.

[0033] Preferably, the protective seat 3-2 includes two opposing bionic claw-type fitting seats, which are connected by a plurality of inclined guide plates 3-2-2; The data bus 7 passes through the gap between adjacent inclined guide plates 3-2-2.

[0034] In this embodiment, there are two inclined guide plates 3-2-2 arranged opposite to each other. The data bus 7 passes through the gap between adjacent inclined guide plates 3-2-2, reducing its free sway amplitude. At the same time, the inclined plate body forms a natural flow channel, which allows the dripping liquid to flow down along the plate body, avoiding direct accumulation at the electrode interface, and playing a waterproof and flow guiding role.

[0035] Preferably, the biomimetic claw-type fitting seat is composed of multiple claw structures 3-2-1 for fitting animal skulls, with gaps left between each claw structure 3-2-1.

[0036] In this embodiment, the biomimetic claw-type fitting base is reverse-engineered based on the CT scan data of the skull of the target animal (such as a pigeon), and multiple (usually 4-6) symmetrically distributed claw structures 3-2-1 are designed. These claw structures precisely fit the specific curved surface shape of the pigeon skull, with a 3-6 mm gap between each claw. This gap design facilitates the injection of biocompatible adhesive through a micro-injector during installation to form a firm and uniform encapsulation fixation; on the other hand, it allows space for trace amounts of volatilization or thermal expansion during the adhesive curing process.

[0037] Preferably, a physical buffer gap is formed between the protective helmet 2 and the electrode shield 3.

[0038] Preferably, the flexible circuit board 6 can be folded and attached to the inner wall of the protective helmet 2. The flexible circuit board 6 integrates an electrode signal input / output interface, a data bus interface, a signal processing chip, an operational amplifier circuit, and a miniature accelerometer.

[0039] In this embodiment, the flexible circuit board 6 is a flexible printed circuit board with polyimide as the substrate, which is folded and attached to the inner wall of the protective helmet 2 by adhesive or embedded in a slot. This module integrates a miniaturized electrode signal input interface (for receiving nerve signals), a signal processing chip (such as a low-power amplifier, filter, and analog-to-digital converter), a signal output interface (for generating electrical stimulation pulses), and a miniature accelerometer (for recording flight status, judging severe impacts, and saving data to a memory card).

[0040] Example 2

[0041] refer to Figure 10 This embodiment describes the brain-computer interface signal monitoring and stimulation method for the integrated fixation system of animal brain-computer interface described in Embodiment 1, including the following steps: S1. Place the system on the animal's head; S2. Acquire neural electrical signals through electrode implantation points and process them using the integrated signal processing chip. S3. Transmit the processed data to the main control device via the data bus; S4. The main control device sends the data to the remote control terminal for recording or to send stimulation commands.

[0042] In this embodiment, after the system is powered on, the power module supplies power to the head flexible circuit, the main control device on the back, and each interface module. The positioning and communication module completes initialization and waits for remote commands. The user can activate the neural signal acquisition, electrical stimulation, or visual perception mode through the remote control terminal. In the neural signal acquisition mode, neural signals are acquired through the electrode interface connected by short pins. After preprocessing by the signal processing chip and operational amplifier circuit, the signals are transmitted back by the communication module. In the electrical stimulation mode, the remote control terminal sends stimulation signals and outputs them through the same electrode interface to achieve neural modulation. In the visual perception mode, the camera lens is connected through a ribbon cable to achieve video shooting, photo taking, or night vision functions, and the images are transmitted back in real time via the data bus. The system supports multimodal data synchronization, enabling the joint transmission of neural signals and video footage for behavioral and neural correlation analysis. Simultaneously, the head accelerometer, along with the back positioning module and barometric pressure (altitude) module, provides motion and environmental perception data to aid in neurobehavioral research. The remote control terminal can receive neural data, positioning information, and video streams in real time and send commands to achieve two-way interaction. The power module performs dynamic power consumption management. Ultimately, through the above collaborative work, the system achieves the acquisition, processing, stimulation, and transmission of neural signals from pigeons, constructing a complete brain-computer interface experimental platform suitable for free-behaving animals.

[0043] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and does not constitute any limitation on the technical scope of the present invention. Therefore, any minor modifications, equivalent changes and alterations made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention shall still fall within the scope of the technical solution of the present invention.

Claims

1. An integrated fixation system for animal brain-computer interfaces, characterized in that, include: A protective helmet, wherein the protective helmet is fitted to the front of the head of the target animal by means of cushioning padding; An electrode protective cover is disposed above the electrode implantation point on the target animal; A flexible circuit board, wherein the flexible circuit board is disposed inside the protective helmet; The electrode implantation points on the electrode protective cover are connected to the flexible circuit board via short pins, and the flexible circuit board is connected to the main control device installed on the back of the target animal via a data bus.

2. The integrated fixation system for animal brain-computer interfaces according to claim 1, characterized in that, The protective helmet includes a helmet cover and a helmet hinge, wherein the helmet cover and the helmet hinge are inserted into each other.

3. The integrated fixation system for animal brain-computer interfaces according to claim 1, characterized in that, The protective helmet is equipped with a camera at the front end, and the camera is connected to the flexible circuit board; The protective helmet is provided with a short pin header and a data bus header at the tail end. The short pin header is used to pass through the short pin header, and the data bus header is used to pass through the data bus.

4. An integrated fixation system for animal brain-computer interfaces according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cushioning pad has a three-layer composite structure, which includes an outer layer, a middle layer and an inner layer, and is stacked in sequence. The outer layer is bonded to the inner wall of the protective helmet, the middle layer is an energy-absorbing layer with a three-dimensional array lattice structure, and the inner layer is used to bond to the head of the target animal.

5. An integrated fixation system for animal brain-computer interfaces according to claim 1, characterized in that, The electrode protective cover includes a protective cover and a protective base; The protective base is arranged around the electrode implantation point; the protective cover is detachably inserted into the protective base and is located directly above the electrode implantation point.

6. An integrated fixation system for animal brain-computer interfaces according to claim 5, characterized in that, The protective seat includes two opposing bionic claw-type fitting seats, which are connected by a plurality of inclined guide plates. The data bus passes through the gap between adjacent inclined guide plates.

7. An integrated fixation system for animal brain-computer interfaces according to claim 6, characterized in that, The biomimetic claw-type fitting seat is composed of multiple claw structures for fitting animal skulls, with gaps between each claw structure.

8. An integrated fixation system for animal brain-computer interfaces according to claim 1, characterized in that, A physical buffer gap is formed between the protective helmet and the electrode shield.

9. An integrated fixation system for animal brain-computer interfaces according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flexible circuit board can be folded and attached to the inner wall of the protective helmet. The flexible circuit board integrates an electrode signal input / output interface, a data bus interface, a signal processing chip, an operational amplifier circuit, and a miniature accelerometer.

10. A method for monitoring and stimulating brain-computer interface signals in an integrated fixation system for animal brain-computer interfaces as described in any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. Place the system on the animal's head; S2. Acquire neural electrical signals through the electrode implantation point and process them using the integrated signal processing chip. S3. Transmit the processed data to the main control device via the data bus; S4. The main control device sends the data to the remote control terminal for recording or to send stimulation commands.

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