{"id":5471,"date":"2016-02-09T04:23:14","date_gmt":"2016-02-09T04:23:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.kurzweilai.net\/?p=273156"},"modified":"2016-02-09T04:23:14","modified_gmt":"2016-02-09T04:23:14","slug":"powering-brain-implants-without-wires-with-thin-film-wireless-power-transmission-system","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hoo.central12.com\/fugic\/2016\/02\/09\/powering-brain-implants-without-wires-with-thin-film-wireless-power-transmission-system\/","title":{"rendered":"Powering brain implants without wires with thin-film wireless power transmission system"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Schematic of proposed architecture of an implantable wireless-powered neural interface system that can provide power to implanted devices. Adding a transmitter chip could allow for neural signals to be transmitted via the antenna for external processing. (credit: Toyohashi University Of Technology)<\/p><\/div>\n

A research team at Toyohashi University of Technology<\/a> in Japan has fabricated an implanted wireless power transmission (WPT) device to deliver power to an implanted neural interface system, such as a brain-computer interface (BCI) device.<\/p>\n

Described in an open-access paper in Sensors<\/em> journal, the system avoids having to connect an implanted device to an external power source via wires through a hole in the skull, which can cause infections through the opening and risk of infection and leakage of the cerebrospinal fluid during long-term measurement. The system also allows for free-moving subjects, allowing for more natural behavior in experiments.<\/p>\n

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Photographs of fabricated flexible antenna and bonded CMOS rectifier chip with RF transformer (credit: Kenji Okabe et al.\/Sensors)<\/p><\/div>\n

The researchers used a wafer-level packaging technique to integrate a silicon large-scale integration (LSI) chip in a thin (5 micrometers), flexible parylene film, using flip-chip (face-down) bonding <\/a>to the film. The system includes a thin-film antenna and a rectifier to convert a radio-frequency signal to DC voltage (similar to how an RFID chip works). The entire system measures 27 mm \u00d7 5 mm, and the flexible film can conform to the surface of the brain.<\/p>\n

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Coventry University prof. Kevin Warwick turns on a light with a double-click of his finger, which triggers an implant in his arm (wired to a computer connected to the light). Adding an RF transmitter chip (and associated processing) to the Toyohashi system could similarly allow for controlling devices, but without wires. (credit: Kevin Warwick\/element14)<\/p><\/div>\n

The researchers plan to integrate additional functions, including amplifiers, analog-to-digital converters, signal processors, and\u00a0 a radio frequency circuit for transmitting (and receiving) data.<\/p>\n

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Tethered Braingate brain-computer interface for paralyzed patients (credit: Brown University)<\/p><\/div>\n

Such a system could perform some of the functions of the Braingate system<\/a>, which allows paralyzed patients to communicate (see “People with paralysis control robotic arms using brain-computer interface<\/a>“).<\/p>\n

This work is partially supported by Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research, Young Scientists, and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.<\/p>\n