53 results about "Neural Prosthesis" patented technology

A neural prosthesis includes a centralized device that can provide power, data, and clock signals to one or more individual neural prosthesis subsystems. Each subsystem may include a number of individually addressable, programmable modules that can be dynamically allocated or shared among neural prosthetic networks to achieve complex, coordinated functions or to operate in autonomous groups.

Neurochip for Neuroprosthetic Control. According to one embodiment, a neural spike detection system is provided. The neural spike detection system can include a signal receiver operable to receive a plurality of neural signals including neural spikes. The system can also include a neural spike detector adapted to communicate with the signal receiver and detect neural spikes in the plurality of neural signals. Further, the system can include a transmitter connected to the neural spike detector and operable to transmit an information signal when a neural spike is detected.

The invention provides a micro-control neuroprosthetic device and methods for predicting and controlling epileptic neuronal activity. The device includes a detection system that detects and collects electrophysiological information comprising action potentials from single neurons and ensembles of neurons in a neural structure such as an epileptogenic region of the brain in a subject. An analysis system included in the neuroprosthetic device evaluates the electrophysiological information and performs a real-time extraction of neuron firing features from which the system determines when stimulus intervention is required. The neuroprosthetic device further comprises a stimulation intervention system that provides stimulus output signals having a desired stimulation frequency and stimulation intensity directly to the neural structure in which abnormal neuronal activity is detected. The analysis system further analyzes collected electrophysiological information during or following stimulus intervention to assess the effects of the stimulation intervention and to provide outputs to maintain or modify the stimulation intervention.

Method and apparatus for detecting nerve activity of an animal. Some embodiments include outputting a light pulse having a wavelength onto a volume of animal tissue such that the light pulse interacts with active nerves of the tissue; measuring a light signal resulting from the interaction of the light pulse with the tissue; transmitting an electrical signal based on the measured light signal; signal-processing the electrical signal; and outputting a response signal, which can optionally be used to control a prosthetic device, stimulate another nerve, or display / diagnose a condition. Some embodiments output a plurality of light wavelengths and / or pulses, which are optionally high-frequency intensity modulated. Some embodiments analyze DC, AC, and phase components of signals to spatially resolve locations of neural activity. Some embodiments output light pulse(s) and detect the resultant light from outside a human skull to detect neural activity of human brain tissue inside the skull.

A wearable neuromuscular stimulation and neuroprosthetic system and device for treating spinal cord injury, stroke, and other neurological conditions; and for the management of chronic pain. This invention provides a system for transcutaneous neuromuscular stimulation and typically comprises a wearable item that further includes a flexible, non-conductive material; at least one flexible, generally flat electrode attachable to or embedded within the wearable item; and a programmable electrical stimulation device connectable to the electrode(s). Each electrode typically includes a silver-impregnated or silver-treated material.

A microstimulator or neural prosthesis is powered and operative in response to an externally applied RF signal which includes a power component and control component. A slow rise time storage circuit stores RF power during a charging period and a fast rise time triggering circuit responsive to a fast rise time input triggers the device for producing output pulses following a selected delay time. The duration of the delay controls the current level of the output pulses.

Neurochip for Neuroprosthetic Control. According to one embodiment, a neural spike detection system is provided. The neural spike detection system can include a signal receiver operable to receive a plurality of neural signals including neural spikes. The system can also include a neural spike detector adapted to communicate with the signal receiver and detect neural spikes in the plurality of neural signals. Further, the system can include a transmitter connected to the neural spike detector and operable to transmit an information signal when a neural spike is detected.

Method and neuroprosthetic device for monitoring and suppression of pathological tremors in a user through the neurostimulation of the afferent pathways to the brain, which comprises wearable elements placed over the parts of the body affected by tremor, wherein said wearable elements (1) have sensors selected from bioelectric sensors (3) generating a bioelectrical signal characterization of tremor, biomechanical sensors (4) generating a biomechanical signal characterization of tremor and a combination thereof, a programmable electronic device (9) comprised of a control, acquisition and processing module of the characterization signals, and a signal generator for the afferent stimulation based on the bioelectrical, biomechanical or combination of both signal characterization and stimulation electrodes (8) which transmit the neuromodulation signals to the afferent pathways projecting into the central nervous system to modulate the activity of the neural structures responsible for tremor generation.

A functional electrical stimulation (FES) orthosis for FES to a limb segment, including: (a) a semi-rigid, self-retaining C-shaped frame, the frame configured to substantially envelop the limb segment, the frame including a first flexible and elongated circumferentially retaining element and at least a first and a second opposing flexible and elongated circumferentially retaining elements disposed on the circumferentially opposite side of the frame, the first retaining element and the first opposing retaining element forming a pair of opposing retaining elements, and (b) a surface electrical stimulation electrode for contacting at least one stimulation point on a surface of the limb segment, associated with, and supported by, the frame, the surface electrode for electrically associating, via the frame, with a neuroprosthetic stimulator unit, so as to provide FES, wherein the opposing retaining elements are configured to be radially spring-loaded towards a center of the frame, such that in donning the orthosis around the limb segment, the limb segment applies a counter-pressure from within the frame, against the opposing retaining elements, such that the orthosis is firmly and fixedly self-retained in a pre-determined position on the surface.

A neural prosthesis comprised of a network of component devices that sense, analyze, and communicate data to deliver a therapeutic effect to a patient. The network of component devices establish systems and methods for sensing physiological parameters in, on or around a human body and achieving a therapeutic effect based thereon. A network of various levels of component devices sense, process and communicate data between corresponding component devices, and self-organize into a hierarchy of peer groups of component devices to perform the task or function of the therapeutic effect upon completion of the tasks or functions of the various underlying levels of component devices. An overall Peer Group encompasses the various underlying levels of peer groups having the component devices therein. The sensing, computational, data distribution, communication or therapeutic effect tasks at the various levels are accomplished by the coordination of communication and functions between the plurality of relatively simple component devices of the network. Symmetric and asymmetric cryptography and other communication protocols are used to co-ordinate the tasks and functions of the component devices of the network. Therapeutic tasks such as drug delivery, executable actions, and stimuli delivery or suppression are thus efficiently distributed to a patient via the network. Component peer devices of the network can be implants, wearable devices with respect to a patient, or may be devices that are in the environment within which the patient is located.

A novel multifunctional nano-probe interface is proposed for applications in neural stimulation and detecting. The nano-probe interface structure consists of a carbon nanotube coated with a thin isolation layer, a micro-electrode substrate array, and a controller IC for neural cell recording and stimulation. The micro-electrode substrate array contains wires connecting the carbon nanotube with the controller IC, as well as microfluidic channels for supplying neural tissues with essential nutrition and medicine. The carbon nanotube is disposed on the micro-electrode substrate array made by silicon, coated with a thin isolation layer around thereof, and employed as a nano-probe for neural recording and stimulation.

The invention provides a micro-control neuroprosthetic device and methods for predicting and controlling epileptic neuronal activity. The device includes a detection system that detects and collects electrophysiological information comprising action potentials from single neurons and ensembles of neurons in a neural structure such as an epileptogenic region of the brain in a subject. An analysis system included in the neuroprosthetic device evaluates the electrophysiological information and performs a real-time extraction of neuron firing features from which the system determines when stimulus intervention is required. The neuroprosthetic device further comprises a stimulation intervention system that provides stimulus output signals having a desired stimulation frequency and stimulation intensity directly to the neural structure in which abnormal neuronal activity is detected. The analysis system further analyzes collected electrophysiological information during or following stimulus intervention to assess the effects of the stimulation intervention and to provide outputs to maintain or modify the stimulation intervention.

Devices and systems for recording and / or stimulating electrical signals in order to identify a target site within a patient's brain for further electrical stimulation and chemical treatments of the brain. The deep brain stimulation devices and methods include implantable devices having various microelectrode configurations and drug delivery mechanisms. The devices can be used to treat a variety of neurological conditions.

The present invention comprises compositions and methods for use of an alginate dural sealant in conjunction with mammalian neurosurgical procedures, including but not limited to, the implantation of neuroprosthetic devices.

A neural prosthesis includes a centralized device that can provide power, data, and clock signals to one or more individual neural prosthesis subsystems. Each subsystem may include a number of individually addressable, programmable modules that can be dynamically allocated or shared among neural prosthetic networks to achieve complex, coordinated functions or to operate in autonomous groups.

The invention relates to a spatially adaptive, implanted microcontact structure for neuroprostheses suitable for treating functional disorders of the nervous system for the purpose of reversible anchorage on nerve tissue. The spatially adaptive microcontact structure (RAM) is characterized in particular in that an optimum contact or active connection to nerve tissue is ensured. The implanted microcontact structure comprises subareas that are movable relative to one another and that can be brought into at least two permanent desired positions relative to one another and that can be brought into a desired position during implantation for the purpose of mechanical anchorage to the nerve tissue to be contacted and can also be brought out of one desired position into another during explantation to release the anchorage.

The invention is a method of automatically adjusting an electrode array to the neural characteristics of an individual subject. The response to electrical neural stimulation varies from subject to subject. Measure of impedance may be used to predict the electrode height from the neural tissue and, thereby, predict the threshold of perception. Alternatively, electrode height may be measured directly to predict the threshold of perception. Also, impedance measurement may be used to quickly identify defective electrodes and proper electrode placement.

The invention is a method of automatically adjusting an electrode array to the neural characteristics of an individual subject. The response to electrical neural stimulation varies from subject to subject. Measure of impedance may be used to predict the electrode height from the neural tissue and, thereby, predict the threshold of perception. Alternatively, electrode height may be measured directly to predict the threshold of perception. Also, impedance measurement may be used to quickly identify defective electrodes and proper electrode placement.

Multiple designs, systems, methods and processes for control using electrical signals recorded from clinically paralyzed muscles and nerves are presented. The discomplete neural prosthesis system and method for clinically paralyzed humans utilizes a controller. The controller is adapted to receive a volitional electrical signal generated by the human that is manifest below the lesion that causes the clinical paralysis. The controller uses at least the volitional electrical signal to generate a control signal that is output back to a plant to change the state of the plant, which in one aspect is one or more of the user's paralyzed muscles to achieve a functional result or to devices in the environment around the user that are adapted to receive commands from the controller.

The invention discloses a hand automatic rehabilitation training system and training method of a hemiplegic patient. The hand automatic rehabilitation training system comprises a double-core embeddedmicroprocessor module, a front arm muscle body module, a surface electromyogram signal acquiring module, an electromyogram decoding module, a wireless communication module, a power source management module, a detection module, a rehabilitation glove module, a driving module which is used for driving a motor on each finger to work, a neural prosthesis module and an upper computer module. A driving-driven control strategy is adopted by the training method, and a wearable glove system and a human body control system can be linked to reshape motor nerves; a monotonous stimulation mode is changed,muscle fatigue is avoided, and the nervous function is rebuilt; by conducting blind source separation on a surface electromyogram signal, the decoding precision is improved, so that rehabilitation training pays more attention to improving the ADL capacity. The hand automatic rehabilitation training system and training method of the hemiplegic patient have the obvious advantages of being intelligent, high in practicability, convenient to use and the like; the patient can automatically conduct hand rehabilitation training at home, and the application value is high.

The invention discloses a nervous tissue engineering fibrous membrane and a preparation method. The method comprises the following steps of: dissolving a high molecular material into water or an organic solvent to prepare electrostatic spinning solution; injecting the high molecular solution into an injector; performing electro-spinning to form nanofibers, which are arranged tidily, to prepare a high molecular fibrous membrane; and immersing the high molecular fibrous membrane into pyrrole aqueous solution to form core-sheath fibers. In the preparation method of the nervous tissue engineering fibrous membrane provided by the invention, the fibrous membrane is constituted by conductive core-shell nanofibers; the core is high molecule which has excellent material biocompatibility; the nanofibers are arranged tidily by controlling the preparation conditions; the shell-layer material is polypyrrole; the biocompatibility is good; the prepared core-sheath fiber can provide a unique platform to grow and extend neurites; and the process is simple, easy to operate and low in cost and has broad application prospect in the field of nervous tissue engineering.

An embodiment in accordance with the present invention provides a device and method to deliver direct ionic current safely to target neural tissue, while also eliminating interruptions in the output of the device that can result from the non-ideal operation of the valves used to control the current flow in the device. The device includes two valve-operated systems that work in tandem. The first and second current producing systems are configured to be used together in order to eliminate the periodic interruptions in current flow. In use, one system drives current through the target tissue, while the other system closes all of the valves first and then opens its valves in sequence. This intermediate step of closing all of the valves prevents unintended current shunts through either system. The device also includes two conductors to direct the flow of direct current into the target tissue.

The invention relates to a neural electrode interface modification material, a neural electrode and a preparation method of the neural electrode. The neural electrode interface modification material comprises a gel polymer, a conducting polymer, a bioactive substance and an anti-inflammatory drug, wherein the gel polymer is a cross-linked polymer which is formed from polyacrylic acid and polyvinyl alcohol; a cross-linked network is formed by the conducting polymer and the cross-linked polymer; and the bioactive substance and the anti-inflammatory drug are inserted in the cross-linked network. The high-molecular polymer which is high in biocompatibility and stability is composed of the gel polymer, the conducting polymer, the bioactive substance and the anti-inflammatory drug, and the neutral electrode interface modifying a neural prosthesis through the neural electrode interface modification material can enhance durable biocompatibility of the neural electrode.

A system for adjusting a spatial distribution of an electrical stimulation field across a scanning electrode, by a system user, including: (a) a scanning electrode for performing functional electrical stimulation (FES) of at least one muscle of a limb, the electrode having first and second electrically conductive areas, separated by an electrically insulating region for insulating therebetween; (b) a distribution mechanism for dividing a current between the areas to produce the spatial distribution of the stimulation field across these areas, the distribution mechanism for operative connection to a muscle stimulator providing electrical stimulation to the system, and (c) a control mechanism for controlling the distribution mechanism, so as to effect a smooth and continuous adjustment of the spatial distribution of the field.

A method to control tissue / device heating at implantable medical devices including neuroprosthetic devices. In a first embodiment, thermal conductivity of components of the implantable medical devices including the neuroprosthetic devices is increased. In a second embodiment, the implantable medical devices including the neuroprosthetic devices are cooled by using heat-sinks. In a third embodiment, portions of the implantable medical devices including the neuroprosthetic devices are replaced with specific thermal properties. In a fourth embodiment, the implantable medical devices including the neuroprosthetic devices are coated with a drug / material that will induce surrounding tissue to become more resistant to temperature increases. In a fifth embodiment, the temperature increase near the implantable devices including the neuroprosthetic devices is determined using a modified bio-heat transfer model. In a sixth embodiment, the shape of the outer or the inner surface of the device is modified.

The invention relates to an artificial facial neural prostheses to replace the function of facial nerves, which pertains to the biomedical engineering field, wherein, a signal collection module collects the electromyographic signals of facial muscles at the healthy side of the face, the signals are sent to a control and treatment module to complete the analysis and treatment of the signals, the conversion treatment of the stimulation pulse is realized, the energy is supplied by an energy supply module, the stimulation pulse is sent to a multi-line pulse stimulation module, and the electric stimulation on the muscles of the affected side is realized by a micro-stimulation electrode so as to cause the contraction of facial muscles; a feedback module collects the electromyographic signals of the affected side of the face, the signals are sent back to the control and treatment module to realize the regulation of the stimulation pulse, a wireless transmitting and receiving module transmits the information in vivo to the outside and receives the control signals for in vitro input, so as to realize the calibration and regulation of the artificial prostheses with the function of facial nerves. The invention can generate the corresponding symmetrical movements of the affected facial muscles according to the received stimulation of the normal electrical signals of the opposite side, so as to maintain the symmetry and consistency of the facial expression muscles; furthermore, the invention can stimulate the muscles for the prevention of atrophy and promote the growth of the transected nerves.

The invention provides a flexible electrode array-optical fiber composite neutral electrode. The neutral electrode comprises a flexible electrode array, an optical fiber and a supporting structure; the surface of the supporting structure is provided with a groove, and the optical fiber is fixed at the inner part of the groove; the flexible electrode array comprises a welding point zone, an interconnection lead zone and a recording site zone which are connected in order; the welding point zone is fixed at the surface of the supporting structure; the interconnection lead zone and the recording site zone are coated at the surface of the optical fiber in a rolling manner. The composite neutral electrode after being cured through polyethylene glycol (PEG) can be planted tin a specific brain zone of a brain; a light signal is induced through the optical fiber, thus release of an electrical physiological signal of a specific type of neutral element of a specific brain zone can be simulated orinhibited, and then the flexible electrode array detects the electrical physiological signal of the neutral element; the detection of the electrical physiological signal can be organically combined with the light inheritance; the flexible electrode array-optical fiber composite neutral electrode has great application value to study a neural circuit, nerve diseases, nerve prosthesis and others.