Sensing and actuation of biological function using addressable transmitters operated as magnetic spins

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018164276-A1
Application number	US-201815882281-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 29, 2018
Priority date	Dec 4, 2013
Publication date	Jun 14, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for sensing biological functions are disclosed. Sensors can be implanted in an organ, such as the brain, and a magnetic field gradient applied to the biological tissue. The field causes the sensors to have different resonant frequencies allowing their spatial localization. The sensors can harvest power from the external coils to be able to retransmit data.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method to sense a biological function, the method comprising:
providing a device comprising
a sensor to sense the biological function,
an oscillator circuit configured to change its resonance frequency upon application of a magnetic field, and
providing a communication device external to the biological tissue and configured to communicate through electromagnetic waves with the device implanted in the biological tissue;
inserting the device in the biological tissue; applying a magnetic field gradient to the device; and spatially locating the device by its resonance frequency.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the device further comprises:
a substrate; an antenna attached to a surface of the substrate, the antenna being substantially planar; the oscillator circuit on the surface of the substrate; a transmitter and receiver circuit on the surface of the substrate; a control logic circuit on the surface of the substrate; and the sensor on the surface of the substrate, the at least one sensor comprising at least one magnetic sensor, wherein
the antenna is configured to transmit and receive electromagnetic waves at a first frequency and a first phase between the device and the communication device,
the transmitter and receiver circuit is configured to operate the antenna,
the at least one sensor is configured to sense an applied magnetic field, and to shift a transmitting or receiving frequency from the first frequency to a second frequency, or a transmitting or receiving phase from the first phase to a second phase, said shift being based on the applied magnetic field;
the dimensions of the antenna and the oscillator circuit are configured to allow spatial localization of the device when the device is within a magnetic field gradient.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the inserting the device in the biological tissue is carried out by implanting, swallowing or injecting.

4 . A method to sense a biological function, the method comprising:
providing a system, the system comprising
a plurality of devices, each device comprising
a sensor configured to sense a biological function, and
an oscillator circuit configured to change a resonance frequency upon application of a magnetic field, and

providing a communication device external to a biological tissue and configured to communicate through electromagnetic waves with the plurality of devices implanted in the biological tissue;
inserting the plurality of devices in the biological tissue; applying a magnetic field gradient to the plurality of devices; and spatially locating each device of the plurality of devices by its resonance frequency.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of devices further comprises:
a substrate; an antenna attached to a surface of the substrate, the antenna being substantially planar; the oscillator circuit on the surface of the substrate; a transmitter and receiver circuit on the surface of the substrate; a control logic circuit on the surface of the substrate; and the sensor on the surface of the substrate, the at least one sensor comprising at least one magnetic sensor, wherein
the antenna is configured to transmit and receive electromagnetic waves at a first frequency and a first phase between the device and the communication device,
the transmitter and receiver circuit is configured to operate the antenna,
the at least one sensor is configured to sense an applied magnetic field, and to shift a transmitting or receiving frequency from the first frequency to a second frequency, or a transmitting or receiving phase from the first phase to a second phase, said shift being based on the applied magnetic field;
the dimensions of the antenna and the oscillator circuit are configured to allow spatial localization of the device when the device is within a magnetic field gradient.

6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the inserting the plurality of devices in the biological tissue is carried out by implanting, swallowing or injecting.

7 . A communication device, comprising:
an antenna; an oscillator circuit; a transmitter and receiver circuit configured to operate the antenna to transmit and receive electromagnetic waves at a first frequency and a first phase; a control logic circuit; and at least one sensor including at least one magnetic sensor configured to sense an applied magnetic field, the sensor being configured to shift a transmitting or receiving frequency from the first frequency to a second frequency or to shift a transmitting or receiving phase from the first phase to a second phase.

Assignees

• California Inst Of Techn

Inventors

• Shapiro Mikhail
• Emami Azita
• Monge Osorio Manuel Alejandro

Classifications

• A61B5/0522

  Magnetic induction tomography · CPC title

• A61B5/073

  Intestinal transmitters · CPC title

• G01R33/077

  Vertical Hall-effect devices · CPC title

• G01R33/1269

  of molecules labeled with magnetic beads (magnetic particles for bio assay G01N33/54326) · CPC title

• G01R33/1284

  Spin resolved measurements; Influencing spins during measurements, e.g. in spintronics devices · CPC title