An Implantable Wireless Tactile Feedback System

项目摘要 脊髓损伤后的瘫痪是一种毁灭性的疾病，目前还没有足够的治疗方法。的 受伤会扰乱大脑和身体之间的运动和感觉交流。重新建立通信 脑机接口（BMI）仍然是最有前途的治疗策略之一。的BMI 在（1）记录的大脑信号和设备（例如机器人手）之间建立连接，以提供电机 输出和（2）外部传感器，例如抓握力的传感器，以及提供感觉反馈的大脑刺激。 最近，两项独立的研究表明，复活一个人自己的生命是可能的。 瘫痪的手，使用大脑控制的肌肉刺激，而不是依赖于机器人设备。这一重大 Advance为瘫痪后运动功能的自然恢复提供了明确的途径。然而，在这方面， 如何为复活的瘫痪手提供触觉的关键问题还没有得到解决。 理想情况下，用于复活人手的触觉传感器应该对用户透明： 不受手套或电线的束缚以前用于BMI的触觉传感器是为机器人设计的。 手，其中的大小，功率和数据传输的问题是较少的限制。因此，新技术 needed.在这个项目中，我们将开发一种植入式，无线触觉反馈系统， 人类的手。首先，我们的目标是开发一种微型，硅基密封封装与内置网络 对生理范围内的正常力和剪切力敏感的电容器。第二，我们的目标是设计一个 专用集成电路（ASIC）被容纳在可植入包装内，以处理 传感器电容发生变化，并将数据无线传输到戴在手腕上的电池供电的基本单元。 基本单元还将通过MHz频率的磁共振远程为ASIC供电， 身体是沟通的渠道。第三，我们的目标是测试完整的，无线传感器系统在非 人类灵长类动物的手植入传感器输出的灵敏度和稳定性将被量化， 在同时进行肌肉刺激的情况下评估功能。该项目利用了强大的 具有外科、神经工程、微机电、 系统、低功耗传感器电子器件和射频集成电路。微型传感器， 密封封装、无线供电和无线读出技术将为 植入式医疗器械领域。最终，传感器系统可以与大脑控制的 肌肉刺激，以提供闭环手复苏瘫痪的科目，与大的预期收益， 性能在复苏策略中增加触觉反馈将是迈向 临床BMI使每年数以千计的新瘫痪患者恢复功能 独立

PROJECT SUMMARY Paralysis following spinal cord injury is a devastating condition for which there is no adequate treatment. The injury disrupts motor and sensory communication between the brain and body. Re-establishing communication with a brain-machine interface (BMI) remains one of the most promising treatment strategies. A BMI establishes connections between (1) recorded brain signals and a device, e.g. a robotic hand, to provide motor output and (2) external sensors, e.g. of grasp force, and brain stimulation to provide sensory feedback. Recently, two independent studies have demonstrated that it is possible to reanimate an individual's own paralyzed hand, using brain-controlled muscle stimulation, instead of relying on a robotic device. This major advance provides a clear pathway toward naturalistic restoration of motor function after paralysis. However, the critical issue of how to provide a sense of touch for reanimated paralyzed hands has not been addressed. Ideally, tactile sensors for a reanimated human hand should be transparent to the user: implanted devices free from the constraints of gloves or wires. Previous tactile sensors for BMIs have been designed for robotic hands, where issues of size, power, and data transmission are less constrained. Thus, new technology is needed. In this project, we will develop an implantable, wireless tactile feedback system designed specifically for the human hand. First, we aim to develop a miniature, silica-based hermetic package with a built-in network of capacitors sensitive to normal and shear forces over a physiological range. Second, we aim to design an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) to be housed inside the implantable package to process the sensor capacitance changes and wirelessly transmit the data to a battery-powered base unit worn on the wrist. The base unit will also remotely power the ASIC through magnetic resonance at MHz frequencies, using the body as a communication channel. Third, we aim to test the complete, wireless sensor system in the non- human primate hand. The sensitive and stability of the implanted sensor output will be quantified and its function in the presence of simultaneous muscle stimulation assessed. This project leverages a strong collaboration between investigators with expertise in surgery, neuroengineering, microelectromechanical systems, low-power sensor electronics, and radiofrequency integrated circuits. The microfabricated sensor, hermetic packaging, wireless powering, and wireless read-out technology will provide important advances to the field of implantable medical devices. Ultimately, the sensor system could be combined with brain-controlled muscle stimulation to provide closed-loop hand reanimation in paralyzed subjects, with large expected gains in performance. The addition of tactile feedback to reanimation strategies would be a substantial step towards a clinical BMI allowing the thousands of newly paralyzed individuals each year to regain functional independence.