A Wireless Multiscale Distributed Interface to the Cortex

描述(由申请人提供)：开发先进的神经假体系统和脑机接口，以实现与神经系统的高容量、实时、双向通信，是新兴神经工程学科面临的主要挑战。虽然最近在制造用于多单位记录和刺激的高密度微电极阵列(HDMEA)方面的进展引发了许多神经生物学发现，但由此产生的大量数据吞吐量和重复试验中皮质反应的变异性阻碍了设计无线、自适应、完全可植入的皮质大规模接口的能力。这严重限制了实验范式的可行性和空间，实验范式需要提高我们对神经系统功能的理解，并表征行为自由的受试者与周围环境自然互动时的皮质反应。本项目的目标是开发一种到大脑皮质的无线接口，能够实时处理来自电极通道的同时记录的神经信号。该项目有3个目标：1.开发先进的信号处理算法，用于从分布式皮质内神经活动中感知和解码神经元响应特性：1)优化我们现有的信号处理算法，用于硬件实现，以在数据流的早期提取所需的神经活动；2)开发新的算法，用于解码这些响应，以表征清醒的行为动物模型的自然行为。2.为经络系统设计低功耗集成电路和无线遥测：1)优化低功耗神经接口节点模块的设计，使其具有无线通信和皮下植入的供电能力；2)设计和制造颅外管理接口模块，以允许：a)通过最多2个植入的神经接口节点模块进行无线供电和数据交换；b)与中央基站进行无线双向数据和控制交换。3.系统功能的体内外验证：1)建立32通道系统，并在视网膜切片和清醒啮齿动物体内测试其性能；2)在体外演示经络系统的实时功能，并探讨其在体内的可行性；3)优化整个系统设计，并以商用经络有线数据采集系统为基准进行基准测试。与公共健康相关：该项目寻求开发一种无线电子微系统，将其植入老鼠的大脑，当老鼠在开放环境中自由活动时，该系统可以持续监测神经信号。这个系统将有助于理解脑细胞如何处理信息。这将有助于为严重瘫痪的人设计辅助技术。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The development of advanced neuroprosthetic systems and brain-machine interfaces for high-capacity, real-time, bi-directional communication with the nervous system is a major challenge to the emerging neural engineering discipline. While recent advances in the fabrication of high-density microelectrode arrays (HDMEAs) for multiunit recording and stimulation have triggered numerous neurobiological discoveries, the resulting large data throughput and the variability of cortical responses over repeated trials preclude the ability to design a wireless, adaptive, fully implantable large-scale interface to the cortex. This severely limits the feasibility and space of experimental paradigms needed to improve our understanding of the nervous system functionality and characterize cortical responses in freely behaving subjects interacting naturally with their surroundings. The objective of this project is to develop a wireless interface to the cortex capable of processing simultaneously recorded neural signalsfrom 64 electrode channels in real time. The project has 3 aims: 1. Develop advanced signal processing algorithms for sensing and decoding neuronal response properties from distributed intra-cortical neural activity: 1) Optimize our existing signal processing algorithms for hardware implementation to extract the desired neural activity early in the data stream; 2) Develop new algorithms for decoding these responses to characterize the natural behavior of awake, behaving animal models. 2. Design low-power integrated circuits and wireless telemetry for a 64 channel system: 1) Optimize the design of a low power Neural Interface Node (NIN) module to feature wireless communication and powering capability for subcutaneous implantation; 2) Design and fabricate an extracranial Manager Interface Module (MIM) to permit: a) wireless powering and data exchange with up to 2 implanted NIN modules; b) wireless bidirectional exchange of data and control with a central base station. 3. Demonstrate the system functionality in vitro and vivo: 1) Build a 32 channel system and test its performance in vitro in retinal slices and in vivo in awake behaving rodents; 2) Demonstrate the real time functionality of a 64 channel system in vitro and explore its feasibility in vivo; 3) Optimize the entire system design, and benchmark it against a commercial 64 channel wired data acquisition system. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: This project seeks to develop a wireless electronic microsystem to be implanted in the rat brain to continuously monitor neural signals when the rat is freely behaving in an open environment. This system will help understand how brain cells process information. This will help design assistive technology for people with severe paralysis.