Implantable neural modulation device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10449382-B2
Application number	US-201715616479-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 7, 2017
Priority date	Jun 7, 2017
Publication date	Oct 22, 2019
Grant date	Oct 22, 2019

Abstract

An implantable subsystem includes multiple implantable neural probes disposed on a flexible substrate. Each neural probe is configured to magnetically stimulate brain neurons. Each probe includes an array of magnetic neural stimulators that magnetically stimulate neurons. Each probe also includes neural probe activation circuitry comprising thin film switches disposed on the flexible substrate. The thin film switches are electrically coupled to row and column activation lines and selectively activate the magnetic neural stimulators in response to neural stimulation activation signals carried on the activation lines.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An implantable subsystem comprising:
multiple implantable neural probes disposed on a flexible substrate, each neural probe configured to magnetically stimulate brain neurons, each probe comprising:
an array of magnetic neural stimulators configured to magnetically stimulate neurons; and
neural probe activation circuitry comprising thin film switches disposed on the flexible substrate, the thin film switches electrically coupled to row and column activation lines and configured to selectively activate the magnetic neural stimulators of the array in response to neural stimulation activation signals carried on the activation lines.

2. The subsystem of claim 1 , each neural probe further comprising:
an array of electrical neural sensors disposed on the flexible substrate and interleaved with the magnetic neural stimulators, the neural sensors configured to electrically sense the brain neurons; and
the thin film switches configured to selectively activate the neural sensors of the array in response to neural sensor activation signals carried on the activation lines.

3. The subsystem of claim 1 , wherein each probe has a three dimensional shape such that an exterior surface of the probe comprises at least a portion of a first surface of the flexible substrate and an interior surface of the probe comprises at least a portion of a second surface of the flexible substrate.

4. The subsystem of claim 3 , wherein the three dimensional shape is a cylinder.

5. The subsystem of claim 4 , wherein each cylinder has a diameter of about 30 to about 100 μm and a length of about 1.4 to about 2 mm.

6. The subsystem of claim 4 , wherein:
each probe comprises a probe area of the flexible substrate; and
the flexible substrate is a multi-layered stress-engineered structure at least in the probe area.

7. The subsystem of claim 6 , wherein a bridge of the flexible substrate attaches each probe area to other areas of the flexible substrate.

8. The subsystem of claim 7 , wherein each probe is disposed at an angle to the other areas of the flexible substrate at the bridge.

9. The subsystem of claim 2 , wherein the electrical neural sensors are disposed on an exterior surface of the probe and the neural probe activation circuitry is disposed on an interior surface of the probe.

10. The subsystem of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic neural stimulators have a stimulation resolution between about 15 to about 25 μm.

11. The subsystem of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic neural stimulators comprise three dimensional coils.

12. The subsystem of claim 11 , wherein each of the three dimensional coils have a length and diameter of about 10 μm to about 30 μm.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the three dimensional coils have a stress gradient that causes loops of the coils to curl out of plane.

14. The subsystem of claim 1 , wherein:
the flexible substrate has a distal region, a proximal region, and a center region extending between the distal region and the proximal region; and
the multiple neural probes are disposed at the distal region of the flexible substrate; and
further comprising an interface area disposed at the proximal region of the flexible substrate and configured to be electrically and mechanically coupled to an implantable device configured to control operation of the neural probes.

15. The subsystem of claim 1 , wherein the neural probes are configured to penetrate into the brain.

16. The subsystem of claim 11 , wherein the neural probes are configured to penetrate into the visual cortex to at least the 5 th cortical layer.

17. An implantable subsystem, comprising:
a flexible substrate having a first surface and a second surface, the flexible substrate having a distal section, a proximal section, and a center section extending between the distal section and the proximal section;
a two dimensional array of neural probes disposed at the distal section of the flexible substrate, the neural probes configured to stimulate and sense neurons, each neural probe comprising:
a probe area of the flexible substrate and having a three dimensional shape with an external surface comprising at least a portion of the first surface of the flexible substrate and an internal surface comprising at least a portion of the second surface of the probe;
an array of magnetic neural stimulators configured to magnetically stimulate neurons;
an array of neural sensors disposed on the external surface of the probe and configured to electrically sense the neurons; and
probe addressing circuitry comprising thin film switches configured to selectively activate the magnetic neural stimulators and the neural sensors, the probe addressing circuitry disposed on the internal surface of the probe; and

an interface region disposed at the proximal section of the flexible substrate and configured to electrically and mechanically couple to an implantable device that controls operation of the neural probes via the probe addressing circuitry.

18. The subsystem of claim 17 , wherein the magnetic neural stimulators comprise three dimensional coils.

19. The subsystem of claim 18 , wherein each of the three dimensional coils have a length and diameter of about 15 μm to about 25 μm.

20. The subsystem of claim 19 , wherein, when laid flat, each probe area of the flexible substrate has a surface area of about 0.0048 cm 2 to about 0.032 cm 2 and contains about 250 to about 450 of said three dimensional coils.

Assignees

• Palo Alto Res Ct Inc

Inventors

• Casse Bernard D
• Daniel George
• Rivnay Jonathan
• Paulson Christopher
• Street Robert

Classifications

• A61N2/02

  using magnetic fields produced by coils, including single turn loops or electromagnets (A61N2/12 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61F2250/0096

  Markers and sensors for detecting a position or changes of a position of an implant, e.g. RF sensors, ultrasound markers · CPC title

• A61N2/006 Primary

  for magnetic stimulation of nerve tissue · CPC title