Neural prosthetic with touch-like sensing
First Claim
1. An implantable neural prosthetic sensor device that is configured to be implanted in tissue, comprising:
- a tuned circuit that has a resonant frequency that varies as influenced by an environmental condition associated with the tissue, wherein the tuned circuit comprises a radio frequency (RF) sensor, the RF sensor being configured to perceive the tissue as a complex impedance, the resonant frequency of the tuned circuit being responsive to the complex impedance perceived by the RF sensor, and wherein the complex impedance perceived by the RF sensor is responsive to the environmental condition associated with the tissue; and
a signal processor that is configured to evaluate the complex impedance perceived by the RF sensor to provide thereby sensory information for a neural prosthetic based on the tuned circuit resonant frequency.
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Abstract
An apparatus and method is related to providing sensing functions that are similar to “human touch” when located in a prosthetic device such as a BION microstimulator that is implanted in a patient. The apparatus includes a power circuit, a communication circuit and a sensor circuit. The power circuit provides power to the communication circuit and the sensor circuit. The sensor cooperates with the communication circuit, which communicates to the brain. The sensor uses various techniques to detect changes in the environment for the surrounding tissue using criteria such as reflectivity, impedance, conductivity, return signal spectrum, return signal rate and return signal phase to name a few. For example, the impedance observed by the sensor changes when: the skin tissue is deformed around the sensor, or when the skin is surrounded by water. The sensory information is interpreted by the brain as an analog of touch or feel.
15 Citations
18 Claims
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1. An implantable neural prosthetic sensor device that is configured to be implanted in tissue, comprising:
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a tuned circuit that has a resonant frequency that varies as influenced by an environmental condition associated with the tissue, wherein the tuned circuit comprises a radio frequency (RF) sensor, the RF sensor being configured to perceive the tissue as a complex impedance, the resonant frequency of the tuned circuit being responsive to the complex impedance perceived by the RF sensor, and wherein the complex impedance perceived by the RF sensor is responsive to the environmental condition associated with the tissue; and a signal processor that is configured to evaluate the complex impedance perceived by the RF sensor to provide thereby sensory information for a neural prosthetic based on the tuned circuit resonant frequency. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 9, 10)
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4. An implantable neural prosthetic sensor device that is configured to be implanted in tissue, comprising:
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a fixed frequency oscillator that is arranged to generate a first signal having a first frequency; a variable frequency oscillator that includes a tuned circuit, said variable frequency oscillator being responsive to a closed loop control signal, wherein the variable frequency oscillator is arranged to generate a second signal having a second frequency, wherein the resonant frequency of the tuned circuit is responsive to environmental conditions associated with the tissue, the tuned circuit comprises a radio frequency (RF) sensor, the RF sensor being configured to perceive the tissue as a complex impedance, the resonant frequency of the tuned circuit being responsive to the complex impedance perceived by the RF sensor, and wherein the complex impedance perceived by the RF sensor is responsive to the environmental conditions associated with the tissue; a signal comparator that is arranged to compare the first frequency to the second frequency to provide thereby the closed loop control signal; and a signal processor configured to evaluate the complex impedance perceived by the RF sensor to provide thereby sensory information for a neural prosthetic associated with the environmental conditions associated with the tissue based on the closed loop control signal. - View Dependent Claims (5, 11, 12, 13)
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6. An implantable neural prosthetic sensor device that is configured to be implanted into tissue, comprising:
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a fixed frequency oscillator that is arranged to generate a first signal having a first frequency, a first amplitude, and a first phase; a tuned circuit that is coupled to the fixed frequency oscillator and arranged to receive the first signal, wherein the tuned circuit is arranged to provide a second signal having a second frequency, a second amplitude, and a second phase, wherein at least one of the second frequency, the second amplitude, and the second phase is altered as influenced by the tissue environment; and a signal processor circuit that is arranged to compare the first signal to the second signal to provide sensory information that is associated with the environmental conditions associated with the tissue, wherein the tuned circuit comprises a radio frequency (RF) sensor, the RF sensor being configured to perceive the tissue as a complex impedance; wherein at least one of the second frequency, the second amplitude, and the second phase is responsive to the complex impedance perceived by the RF sensor; wherein the complex impedance perceived by the RF sensor is responsive to the tissue environment; and wherein the signal processor circuit is configured to evaluate the complex impedance perceived by the RF sensor to provide sensory information for a neural prosthetic based on the complex impedance perceived by the RF sensor. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification