WINeRS: A Multichannel Wireless Implantable Neural Recording and Stimulating System for Hippocampal Electrophysiology Research on Memory

目的：本研究的目的是开发一种多通道无线植入式神经记录和刺激（WINeRS）系统，作为中枢神经系统的双向接口，用于神经生物学研究。该系统将在记忆海马电生理学研究的背景下进行评估。智能优势：高功率、大尺寸、低效率、有限带宽以及对噪声和干扰的敏感性是此类系统开发中存在的一些主要挑战，这些挑战将通过采用模块化可扩展的片上系统架构来实现。超低噪声记录单元将是无时钟的，并可调谐到神经信号中感兴趣的频带。它具有抑制刺激伪影的能力，并能自适应地分辨有源信道的带宽和数量。三个独立的射频载体将被优化，用于高效感应供电、高速前向数据传输和跨皮肤的宽带反向遥测。最先进的微组件将被设计成将多通道刺激和记录单元与多个天线、微线束和头戴式封装上的微机械电极阵列相结合。更广泛的影响：针对海马体的疾病，如痴呆和阿尔茨海默病？这种疾病在老龄化的工业社会中迅速增长，2007年影响了510万美国人。这个被提出的微系统可能是神经科学家手中的宝贵工具。建议的努力还包括为本科生开发高级设计课程，并让本科生参与研究活动。

Objective:The objective of this research is to develop a multichannel Wireless Implantable Neural Recording and Stimulating (WINeRS) system to be used as a bidirectional interface with the central nervous system for neurobiology research applications. The system will be evaluated in the context of hippocampal electrophysiology research on memory. Intellectual Merit:High power, large size, low efficiency, limited bandwidth, and susceptibility to noise and interference are some of the major existing challenges in development of such systems, which will be targeted by adopting a modular scalable system-on-a-chip architecture. The ultra low-noise recording unit will be clockless and tunable to the frequency band of interest within the neural signal. It will have stimulus artifact rejection capability and adaptive resolution to the bandwidth and number of active channels. Three individual radio-frequency carriers will be optimized for high-efficiency inductive powering, high-rate forward data transmission, and wideband back telemetry across the skin. State-of-the-art microassembly will be devised to combine the multichannel stimulation and recording units with multiple antennas, microwire bundles, and micromachined electrode arrays on a head-mounted package. Broader Impact:Diseases that target the hippocampus, such as dementia and the Alzheimer?s, which affected 5.1 million Americans in 2007, are rapidly growing in the aging industrial societies. The proposed microsystem could be invaluable tool in the hands of neuroscientists. The proposed effort also includes the development of senior design courses for undergraduate students, and involved undergraduate students in research activities.