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

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

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.