An Implantable Wireless Tactile Feedback System

项目总结 脊髓损伤后的瘫痪是一种毁灭性的疾病，没有适当的治疗方法。这个 损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。体重指数 在(1)记录的大脑信号和设备(例如机械手)之间建立连接，以提供运动 输出和(2)外部传感器，例如抓取力和大脑刺激，以提供感觉反馈。 最近，两项独立的研究表明，有可能让一个人自己的 瘫痪的手，使用大脑控制的肌肉刺激，而不是依赖机器人设备。这个专业 ADVANCE为瘫痪后运动功能的自然恢复提供了一条清晰的途径。然而， 如何为瘫痪复活的手提供触觉这一关键问题尚未得到解决。 理想情况下，复活的人类手的触觉传感器对使用者来说应该是透明的：没有植入的设备 不受手套或电线的限制。以前的BMI触觉传感器是为机器人设计的 手，在那里，大小、功率和数据传输的问题受到的限制较少。因此，新技术是 需要的。在这个项目中，我们将开发一种植入式、无线触觉反馈系统，专门设计 为了人类的手。首先，我们的目标是开发一种带有内置网络的微型硅基密封封装 对生理范围内的法向力和剪切力敏感的电容器。第二，我们的目标是设计一种 安装在可植入封装内的专用集成电路(ASIC)，用于处理 传感器的电容会发生变化，并将数据无线传输到戴在手腕上的电池供电的基本单元。 基本单元还将通过磁共振以MHz频率远程为ASIC供电，使用 身体作为沟通的渠道。第三，我们的目标是测试完整的无线传感器系统在非 人类灵长类的手。植入的传感器输出的灵敏度和稳定性将被量化，其 同时进行肌肉刺激时的功能评估。该项目利用了强大的 具有外科、神经工程、微电子机械专业知识的研究人员之间的合作 系统、低功率传感器电子和射频集成电路。微型制造的传感器， 密封包装、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相结合 肌肉刺激在瘫痪受试者中提供闭环手复活，预期在 性能。将触觉反馈添加到复活策略将是迈向 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.