Bio-integrated fully implantable peripheral nerve electrode for functional upper limb prostheses

对于上肢截肢患者来说，可以植入神经并用于与机械肢体交流的电极的发展是一个令人兴奋的进步。在最近的两个实验案例中，电极被植入人类神经，使接受者能够远程控制机器人肢体，操纵轮椅，并从机器人手处理物体中获得一些感官反馈。然而，这些系统仍然存在明显的缺点，必须在技术可以在一般人群中使用之前解决。其中包括由于异物反应，电极逐渐包裹在疤痕组织中，随着时间的推移，电极与神经系统通信的能力减弱。更重要的是，迄今为止已经成功植入的两种系统都需要使用引线将植入电极通过皮肤连接到位于体外的信号放大器/发射器。这对感染或从电极上断开引线有很大的风险。我们的团队已经开发出一种技术，在合成表面涂上化合物，这种化合物可以诱导附近的神经细胞在伪装的合成表面上形成功能性突触。突触是神经细胞之间的特殊连接，使它们能够在网络中相互交流。通过在植入电极表面诱导突触的形成，神经细胞和电极之间瘢痕组织的形成将会减少。我们的工业合作伙伴NxtSens Microsystems已经开发出可植入的微芯片，这种芯片能够捕获、放大并无线传输连接到神经系统的电极发出的电信号，然后这些电极可以远程连接到假肢上。我们的目标是开发一种高度稳定，完全可植入的电极发射器设备，可用于长期技术通信。

The development of electrodes that can be implanted into nerves and used to communicate with robotic limbs is an excitingadvance for patients with upper limb amputations. In two recent experimental cases, electrodes were implanted into humannerves, enabling the recipients to remotely control a robotic limb, manipulate a wheelchair and receive some sensoryfeedback from handling objects with a robotic hand. However, significant drawbacks remain with these systems which mustbe resolved before the technology can be used in the general population. These include the gradual encasing of electrodesin scar tissue due to foreign-body reaction, diminishing the ability of the electrode to communicate with the nervous systemover time. More significantly, the two systems that have been successfully implanted to date require the use of wire leadsthat connect from the implanted electrode through the skin to the signal amplifier/transmitter which is located outside thebody. This presents a significant risk for infection or disconnection of the leads from the electrodes. Our group hasdeveloped techniques to coat synthetic surfaces with compounds that act to induce nearby nerve cells to form functionalsynapses onto the camouflaged synthetic surface. Synapses are the specialized junctions made between nerve cells thatallow them to communicate with one another in a network. By inducing the formation of synapses onto the surface of theimplanted electrodes, the formation of scar tissue between the nerve cell and the electrode will be diminished. Our industrialpartner, NxtSens Microsystems, has developed implantable microchips with the ability to capture, amplify and wirelesslytransmit electrical signals from electrodes connected to the nervous system which can then connect remotely to a prostheticlimb. Our objective is to develop a highly stable, fully implantable electrode-transmitter device that can be used for long-termneural-technology communication.