SBIR Phase I: In-pixel, real-time neural digitizer to restore connectivity in spinal cord injuries

小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力是通过恢复丧失的功能来改善患有衰弱形式瘫痪的人的生活质量。美国有540万人患有瘫痪。这些患者不仅遭受随之而来的身体痛苦，而且还受到经济和心理负担的困扰。对于大多数患者来说，今天使用的假体要么是被动的，负担得起的，要么是主动的，负担不起的。主动假肢代表了脑机接口发展的前沿。目前的假体存在一些缺点，如持续的患者培训，需要巨大的皮肤电极，电极位置的可变性，以及患者自己佩戴和操作时疗效有限。该设备首先以不完全性瘫痪为目标，充当神经中继站，弥合损伤部位上方和下方健康神经部分之间的脱节。这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目旨在克服目前脑机接口的限制，不仅恢复瘫痪患者的功能，而且为他们重建实时、无缝的体验。大多数可用的神经探头依靠高侵入性、锋利的小腿来穿透神经组织。这些探头会引起相当大的炎症，最终导致设备故障。目前的设备检测信号是细胞外的，这导致了低信噪比，这使得信号提取非常具有挑战性。该项目将通过在传感电极上引入纳米结构来改善脑机接口，以实现细胞内传感。这种传感极大地提高了信噪比，使信号提取变得相当简单。该设备基于有源像素互补金属氧化物半导体架构，它将神经信号转换为一串1和0，使信号提取变得相当简单。这一过程将最大限度地减少患者界面培训时间。该项目将制造三维、纳米结构的传感电极，具有高纵横比和高密度的纳米针，模拟自然的神经细胞环境。纳米针可自发穿透神经元，实现卓越的细胞内记录，并减少慢性炎症，以促进设备寿命。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to improve the quality of life for people who suffer from debilitating forms of paralysis by restoring their lost functionality. There are 5.4 million people in the United States who suffer from paralysis. Not only do these patients suffer from the physical pain that comes with their condition but also, they are afflicted by financial and psychological burdens. The prostheses that are being used today are either passive and affordable or active and unaffordable for the majority of these patients. Active prostheses represent the forefront of brain-computer interfaces development. Current protheses suffer from drawbacks such as constant patient training, the necessity for bulky skin electrodes, variability in electrode positioning, and limited efficacy when worn and operated by the patients themselves. This device first targets incomplete paralysis by functioning as a neural relay station that bridges the disconnect between the healthy neural section above and below the site of injury.This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project seeks to overcome the limitations of current brain-computer interfaces to not only restore functionality in people with paralysis, but to recreate a real-time, seamless experience for them. Most available neural probes rely on highly invasive, sharp shanks to penetrate neural tissue. These probes cause considerable inflammation, ultimately leading to device failure. Current devices detect signals extracellularly which leads to a low signal-to-noise ratio making signal extraction very challenging. This project will improve brain-computer interfaces by introducing nanoarchitecture to the sensing electrode in order to achieve intracellular sensing. This sensing dramatically increases the signal-to-noise ratio making signal extraction considerably simpler. This device is based on an active pixel complementary metal oxide semiconductor architecture which will turn neural signals into a string of ones and zeros making signal extraction considerably simpler. This process will minimize the patient-interface training time. This project will fabricate three-dimensional, nano-architected sensing electrodes with high-aspect ratio and high-density nanoneedles, mimicking the natural neural cell environment. The nanoneedles spontaneously penetrate neurons, achieve superior intracellular recording, and reduce chronic inflammation to promote device longevity.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.