CAREER: Next-generation of Wirelessly Powered Implantable Neuromodulation and Electrophysiological Recording System for Long-term Behavior Study of Freely-Moving Animals

大规模脑活动记录能力可以提高对大脑的了解，并使尖端脑机接口(BMI)设备的开发成为可能。然而，到目前为止，为了记录神经活动，大多数研究仍然依赖于连接到动物头部阶段的笨重的机架安装设备。该研究项目的目标是为下一代神经科学研究开发一种微型化的植入式无线神经信号记录和无线供电的神经刺激系统。将开发一种具有无线功率和数据传输功能的具有多通道记录能力的微型集成电路(IC)芯片。该系统将集成在灵活的生物兼容衬底上，以降低感染风险并增加神经接口的寿命。这项拟议的研究将导致一种神经植入物，它可以刺激神经元，并同时、无线地、长时间地记录神经活动。这些进展将影响神经科学研究和神经学，揭示关于慢性疼痛缓解的基本见解，而不需要任何止痛药物和疗法，以实现更快的中风后恢复。作为该项目的一部分，将为初中生和高中生开发一个互动设计模块，向他们传授电气工程和神经科学的基础知识，并指导未被充分代表的高中生，以激发他们在STEM领域攻读高级学位的兴趣。该项目的目标是开发一种高度微型化的全植入式无线神经信号记录和电力传输系统，用于下一代神经调制。该项目的具体目标包括：1)调查通过低功率、高占空比和可重新配置的脉冲无线电超宽带(IR-UWB)无线链路无线连接的芯片上神经信号记录和刺激系统，2)整合感应耦合无线功率转移(WPT)系统，为笼子内自由活动的动物(如小鼠或大鼠)的脑植入提供动力，3)在动物模型中进行长期的行为研究和临床验证，以寻找治疗慢性神经性疼痛和中风后瘫痪的方法。除了培训代表不足和少数族裔的学生外，该项目的教育目标是促进跨学科的STEM教育和研究倡议。该项目的教育部分包括为6-12年级的学生开发一个互动设计模块，教授电气工程和神经科学的基础知识，指导西北高中STEM学院的高级设计顶峰项目，接待国际学生以增强他们的研究经验，以及招收代表不足的高中生，以激发他们在STEM领域攻读高级学位的兴趣。提出的研究工作有几个令人兴奋的内容：第一，前端读出电路的设计，该电路不受高直流偏移、刺激伪影、外部干扰和噪声的影响。第二，集成了一种新型的多线圈WPT系统，以高效地向毫米尺寸的植入物输送电力。第三，使用来自多个自由移动动物的IR-UWB无线电进行双向数据通信(100 Mbps数据速率上行链路和100kbps下行链路)的研究。最后，将所提出的系统组装在一种灵活的、生物相容的聚合物上，以容易地符合大脑表面，降低感染的风险。与Plexon Inc.和Year Engineering等行业合作伙伴的合作不仅将对脑机接口(BMI)和神经假体的研究领域产生翻译影响，还将帮助培训学生发展跨学科技能，为下一代就业市场做好准备。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Large-scale brain activity recording capability can improve understanding of the brain and enable the development of cutting-edge brain-machine interface (BMI) devices. However, for recording neural activities most research to-date still relies on the bulky, rack-mount equipment that is wired to the animal’s head stage. The goal of this research project is to develop a miniaturized implantable wireless neural signal recording and wirelessly powered neural stimulation systems for the next generation of neuroscience research. A miniaturized integrated circuit (IC) chip will be developed that will have the multi-channel recording capability with wireless power and data transmission features. The system will be integrated on a flexible biocompatible substrate to reduce the risk of infection and increase the longevity of the neural interface. The proposed research will lead to a neural implant that can stimulate the neuron and record the neural activities simultaneously, wirelessly, and over a long period of time. These advancements will impact both neuroscience research and neurology, revealing fundamental insights about chronic pain mitigation without requiring any pain relief drugs and therapies for faster post-stroke recovery. As a part of this project, an interactive design module will be developed for the middle and high-school students to teach them the basics of electrical engineering and neuroscience and mentor underrepresented high-school students to spark their interest in pursuing advanced degrees in STEM fields.The goal of the project is to develop a highly miniaturized fully implantable tetherless wireless neural signal recording and power delivery system for the next generation of neuromodulation. The specific objectives of the project are: 1) investigation of on-chip neural signal recording and stimulation systems that are wirelessly connected via low-power, highly duty-cycled, and reconfigurable Impulse-Radio Ultra-wideband (IR-UWB) radio links, 2) integration of inductively-coupled wireless power transfer (WPT) system to power the brain implants in freely-moving animals (e.g. mice or rats) inside a cage, and 3) long-term behavior study and clinical validation of the proposed system in animal models to find cures for disabilities such as chronic neuropathic pain and post-stroke paralysis. Besides training underrepresented and minority students, the project’s educational goal is to promote interdisciplinary STEM education and research initiatives. The education components of the project include the development of an interactive design module for the 6-12th grade students to teach the basics of electrical engineering and neuroscience, mentoring senior design capstone projects at the Northwest high school’s STEM Academy, hosting international students to enhance their research experience, and recruiting underrepresented high-school students to spark their interest in pursuing advanced degrees in STEM fields. The proposed research work has several exciting elements: First, the design of the front-end read-out circuit that is immune to high DC offset, stimulation artifacts, external interferences, and noise. Second, the integration of a novel multiple-coil WPT system to deliver power efficiently to the mm-sized implants. Third, the investigation of bi-directional data communication (100 Mbps data rate uplink and 100 kbps downlink) using IR-UWB radios from multiple freely-moving animals. Finally, the assembly of the proposed system on a flexible, biocompatible polymer to easily conform to the brain surface reducing the risk of infection. Collaboration with the industrial partners such as Plexon Inc. and Yield Engineering will not only have translational impacts on the research areas of brain-machine interfaces (BMI), and neuroprosthetics but also help train the students to develop interdisciplinary skill-sets and prepare them for next generation of the job market.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.