CAREER: Distributed, Wirelessly Powered, Implantable, Opto-Electro Neural Interface

最近的研究表明，大脑的复杂功能源于跨越大脑相互连接区域的庞大神经元网络的复杂相互作用。因此，未来的神经记录和调制技术需要同时与分布在大的大脑区域上的多个神经部位进行交互。然而，当前的神经接口设备通常由具有到电极/LED阵列的经皮连接的单个集中式结构组成，导致可扩展性问题。少量的记录/刺激通道限制了空间覆盖范围，而大量的通道导致庞大的设备尺寸、集中的热量生成和高的电线连接故障风险。这个CAREER项目的目标是探索一种新型的缩放解决方案，涉及mm级，无线供电，自由浮动的神经接口植入物的分布式无系绳网络，该植入物能够在大的大脑区域上进行大规模神经元集合的光学刺激和皮层电图（ECoG）记录。在这个CAREER项目中提出的分布式神经接口系统将推进神经科学研究，并增强对大脑的基础理解。此外，该项目将扩大快速发展的光遗传学领域的实用性和能力，有助于开发新的神经假体和神经调节疗法，以补充目前基于药物的神经系统疾病治疗。该项目的教育计划将对STEM参与产生重大影响。该计划涉及开发可与生物医学工程，神经工程和神经科学等相关专业交叉列出的多学科课程，为STEM中代表性不足的少数群体的学生提供研究机会，并为女学生的职业发展提供指导。此外，教育署亦会举办外展活动，促进教师和学生分享资源、工具和知识。这个CAREER项目的动机是通过在大的大脑区域实现精确的神经记录和有针对性的神经调节，同时最大限度地减少侵入性，来推动神经接口领域的进展。基于这一动机，主要目标是创建一个创新的分布式无束缚框架，该框架由一系列无束缚的毫米级无线供电植入式光电刺激（WIOES）设备组成。每个WIOES设备将包含一个柔性聚酰亚胺板，该板通过无源载体芯片容纳四个平面记录电极和一个LED沿着以及专用集成电路（ASIC），所有这些都封装在紧凑（小于1 mm立方体）和轻质封装中。这些放置在大脑表面的WIOES设备将记录皮层电图（ECoG）并应用节能光学刺激，同时通过基于双频带谐振的感应无线链路由外部控制器无线供电和监控。为实现研究目标，提出了三个研究方向。RT 1将致力于开发第一个小于1 mm立方体的紧凑型神经植入物，该植入物具有光学刺激和神经记录模式。RT 2专注于开发无线和无束缚神经接口系统，该系统依赖于创新的基于双频带谐振的感应无线链路和节能数据通信协议，用于与WIOES植入物阵列进行无线供电和数据传输。RT 3旨在通过一系列体外和体内试验评估申报分销的WIOES植入物的功能性和可靠性。这个CAREER项目的成功完成将为神经接口建立一个新的范例，提供独特的功能，如无线和无束缚操作，广泛的空间覆盖和微创。这一新的范式将为神经科学研究创造新的机会，并使人们能够更深入地了解大脑。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估来支持。

Recent research has revealed that the complex functionality of the brain arises from the intricate interactions of a vast network of neurons spanning across interconnected regions of the brain. Therefore, future neural recording and modulation techniques require simultaneously interfacing with multiple neural sites that are distributed over a large brain area. However, current neural interface devices typically consist of a single, centralized structure with transcutaneous connections to electrode/LED arrays, leading to scalability issues. A small number of recording/stimulation channels limits spatial coverage, whereas a large number of channels results in bulky device size, concentrated heat generation, and a high risk of wire connection failure. The goal of this CAREER project is to explore a novel scaling solution involving a distributed untethered network of mm-scale, wirelessly powered, free-floating neural interface implants that enable optical stimulation and electrocorticography (ECoG) recording of large-scale neuronal ensembles over a large brain area. The proposed distributed neural interface system in this CAREER project will advance neuroscience studies and enhance the foundational understanding of the brain. Additionally, this project will expand the utility and capabilities of the rapidly growing field of optogenetics, contributing to the development of new neural prostheses and neuromodulation therapies that can supplement current medication-based treatments for neurological disorders. The education plan of this project will make a significant impact on STEM engagement. The plan involves developing multidisciplinary courses that can be cross-listed with related majors such as biomedical engineering, neural engineering, and neural science, providing research opportunities for students from underrepresented minority groups in STEM, and offering mentorship to female students for their career development. Outreach activities will also be organized to facilitate the sharing of resources, tools, and knowledge with teachers and students. The motivation of this CAREER project is to drive progress in the field of neural interfaces by enabling precise neural recording and targeted neuromodulation across a large brain area while minimizing invasiveness. Building upon this motivation, the primary goal is to create an innovative distributed untethered framework that consists of an array of untethered mm-scale wirelessly powered implantable opto-electro stimulation (WIOES) devices. Each WIOES device will incorporate a flexible polyimide board that houses four planar recording electrodes and one LED along with an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) via a passive carrier chip, all packed in a compact (smaller than one mm cube) and lightweight package. These WIOES devices placed on the brain surface will record electrocorticography (ECoG) and apply energy-efficient optical stimulation while being wirelessly powered and monitored by an external controller via a dual-band resonance-based inductive wireless link. Three research thrusts (RTs) are proposed to achieve the research goal. RT1 will be dedicated to developing the first compact neural implant smaller than one mm cube that has both optical stimulation and neural recording modalities. RT2 focuses on the development of a wireless and untethered neural interface system that relies on an innovative dual-band resonance-based inductive wireless link and an energy-efficient data communication protocol for wireless power and data transmission with the array of WIOES implants. RT3 aims to assess the functionality and reliability of the proposed distributed WIOES implants through a series of in vitro and in vivo tests. The successful completion of this CAREER project will establish a new paradigm for neural interfaces, offering unique features such as wireless and untethered operation, wide spatial coverage, and minimal invasiveness. This new paradigm will create new opportunities for neuroscience research and enable a deeper understanding of the brain.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.