Microneedle Neural Stimulator With Self-Powered Intradural Stimulation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current neural tissue stimulators face limitations due to their size, power supply requirements, and anatomical specificity, leading to inefficiencies in clinical usage, including the need for external battery recharging and potential complications like cerebral fluid leakage and infection risks.
Innovation Solution
A neural tissue stimulator with an array of microneedles and a chip comprising a comparator, sequence control circuit, capacitor stack, and CMOS-Logic, capable of harvesting electrical energy from neural cells, allowing for self-sufficiency and precise stimulation without external power sources, and featuring microneedles with varying lengths and insolation for targeted depth stimulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of moving object
If a built-in chemical battery is used to power the neural tissue stimulator, then the device can operate continuously, but the device requires repetitive replacements or recharging procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The neural tissue stimulator harvests electrical energy directly from the neural tissue it stimulates, making the device self-powered. The stimulator uses its own operational activity to generate the power needed for continuous operation, eliminating the need for external battery replacement or recharging procedures.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If long leads connect the stimulator to the neural tissue, then the device can be placed outside the brain or spinal cord, but the leads are ingrown by connective tissue causing infection risks and fluid leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the long leads from the system by using microneedles for direct local connection to the neural tissue. This removes the source of infection risk and connective tissue ingrowth while maintaining the essential electrical connection function.
Solution Approach 2:
The microneedles serve as an intermediary structure that enables direct electrical connection to neural tissue without requiring long external leads. The microneedles are small enough to penetrate tissue minimally while providing stable electrical contact, eliminating the harmful intermediate leads.
3Measurement precision
If limited numbers of electrodes are used, then the device structure is simpler, but the anatomical specificity of stimulated target sites is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode is segmented into multiple microneedles arranged in an array, allowing independent or selective stimulation of different anatomical target sites. Each microneedle can be individually controlled to provide precise spatial targeting while maintaining overall device functionality.
4Measurement precision
If extradural electrode placement is used, then the device is easier to implant, but the stimulation specificity is exponentially decreased and electrical energy drainage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The microneedle array provides locally optimized electrical contact at the specific target site within the intradural cavity. Each microneedle is positioned to deliver stimulation precisely where needed, improving anatomical specificity and reducing energy waste through focused rather than diffuse electrical delivery.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables fully contained intradural implantation, reduces the risk of infection and fluid leakage, and provides precise, high-resolution stimulation with reduced energy consumption and increased anatomical specificity, eliminating the need for battery replacement or recharging.
Implementation Method 1
harvesting of electrical energy from neural cells
Implementation Method 2
at least one capacitor stack built by n capacitors and 2n switches
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2C
Figure 2D~2E
AI summary
The invention discloses a neural tissue stimulator, characterized in that the neural tissue stimulator comprises a multiple of microneedles and a chip comprising at least one comparator with adaptive level, sequence control circuit, at least one capacitor stack built by n capacitors and 2n switches, at least one buffer capacitor outside the at least one capacitor stack, at least two additional switches outside the at least one capacitor stack, a CMOS-Logic, wherein further, the neural tissue stimulator comprises an interposer layer comprising holes for the multiple of microneedles and a lid. The neural tissue stimulator is characterized in, that the chip is located on one surface of the interposer layer and that the lid and the interposer layer form a capsule for the chip. Further, each microneedle of the array of microneedles has a distal end which protrudes from the chip, wherein the distal ends of at least two microneedles of the array of microneedles have a different electrical insolation. Further, the neural tissue stimulator is adapted to be electrically self-sufficient.