STTR Phase I: Fully Implantable, Ultra-Flexible Wireless Electrode Array for Brain Activity Mapping

这项小型企业技术转移研究（STTR）第一阶段项目旨在开发和商业化一种完全可植入的、集成的、超灵活的设备，用于中枢神经系统的高带宽双向接口，旨在脑机接口（BCI）和神经生物学研究应用。该设备将集成多通道无线植入式神经记录和刺激系统的植入式组件（WINeRS由乔治亚理工学院的NSF资助开发），在单个柔性基板上采用微制造高密度电极阵列和平面螺旋线圈（PSC）。该植入式单元将与现有的WINeRS外部单元一起工作，并对psc的兼容性进行了轻微修改。这样的设备将允许动物在录音过程中不受限制地移动，没有束缚效应，并且不需要经皮电线连接，从而降低了相关的感染或刺激风险。虽然最初的应用将是微皮质电图(？ÝECoG)在自由漫游的动物模型中支持大脑活动映射（BAM），该技术将对中枢和外周神经系统的广泛无线神经接口挑战至关重要。这个项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是为动物研究市场提供无线记录设备，（也许更重要的是）为人类应用的下一代神经接口设备提供关键技术。通过将超柔性电极阵列、集成电路和电源和双向数据遥测所需的线圈紧密集成到一个柔性单元中，提出的？ÝECoG设备将代表BCI、BAM和其他神经生物学研究工具的重大进步。先进的生物相容性封装技术导致IC被薄到灵活性的点(25？Ým)并完全嵌入到器件内，封装就是器件。高密度连接方案允许1000个电极连接到IC，用于高带宽神经接口。此次开发的技术将直接适用于中枢和周围神经系统的神经接口设备——脑机接口（BMI）的关键组件，以恢复因受伤、中风或神经退行性疾病而遭受神经损伤的人的运动和感觉功能。因此，生物医学研究人员对开发的设备进行动物研究将立即感兴趣，而医疗设备制造商对先进假肢的未来技术感兴趣。

This Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) Phase I project proposes to develop and commercialize a fully implantable, integrated, ultra-flexible device for high-bandwidth bidirectional interface with the central nervous system aimed at brain-computer interfacing (BCI) and neurobiology research applications. The device will incorporate the implantable component of the multichannel wireless implantable neural recording and stimulating system (WINeRS developed under NSF funding at Georgia Institute of Technology) with a microfabricated high-density electrode array and planar spiral coils (PSC) in a single flexible substrate. This implantable unit will operate in conjunction with the existing WINeRS external unit, slightly modified for compatibility with the PSCs. Such a device will allow unrestricted movement of animals during recording sessions with no tethering effects, and require no transcutaneous wired connections thus reducing associated risks of infection or irritation. While the initial application will be micro-electrocorticography (?ÝECoG) to support brain activity mapping (BAM) in freely roaming animal models, the technology developed will be crucial for a broad range of wireless neural interface challenges in both the central and peripheral nervous system. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is both a wireless recording device for the animal research market and (perhaps more importantly) critical technology for next generation neural interface devices for human applications. By tightly integrating the ultra-flexible electrode array, IC, and coils required for power and bidirectional data telemetry into a single flexible unit, the proposed ?ÝECoG device will represent a significant advancement in tools available for BCI, BAM, and other neurobiology research. The advanced biocompatible packaging technology results in the IC being thinned to the point of flexibility (25?Ým) and fully embedded within the device ¡V the packaging is the device. The high-density connection scheme allows 1000 electrodes to be connected to the IC for high-bandwidth neural interfacing. The technology developed will be directly applicable to a broad range of neural interface devices for the central and peripheral nervous system ¡V key components of brain-machine interfaces (BMI) to restore motor and sensory function to people afflicted with nerve damage from injury, stroke, or neurodegenerative diseases. Thus, the devices developed will be of immediate interest to biomedical researchers for animal studies and the technology of future interest to medical device manufacturers for advanced prosthetics.