BRAIN- MACHINE INTERFACE SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20080015459A1
• Filed: 07/11/2007
• Published: 01/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: New York University
• Original Assignee: New York University
• Inventors: Llinas, Rodolfo
• Granted Patent: US 8,447,392 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/544
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/24 Detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/291 for electroencephalography [EEG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/293 Invasive
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/05 for implantation or insertion into the body, e.g. heart electrode A61N1/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/056 Transvascular endocardial electrode systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/015 Input arrangements based on nervous system activity detection, e.g. brain waves [EEG] detection, electromyograms [EMG] detection, electrodermal response detection

Abstract

A system and method for interfacing a brain with a machine. An exemplary embodiment of the present invention employs a vascular approach in which one or more nano-electrodes are deployed in vasculature having a close geometric relationship with proximal innervation. Each nano-electrode is preferably deployed in a blood vessel so that its sensing end is at or near a nerve passing close to or intersecting the blood vessel. The sensing end of each nano-electrode is adapted so as to be carried along in the blood stream so as to position the sensing end at a desired point within the blood vessel. An array of nano-electrodes of varying lengths can be used to monitor multiple nerves or neurons along a blood vessel.

Claims

1-17. -17. (canceled)

18. A device for sensing the activity of neural tissue comprising:

a catheter; and

an electrode that is smaller than 5 μ

m in diameter, the electrode being deployed from the catheter in a blood vessel proximate to the neural tissue,

wherein a signal on the electrode is monitored by way of a wire connected to the electrode, said signal being indicative of the electrical brain activity of the neural tissue.

19. The device of claim 18 comprising:

a signal processor, the signal processor being arranged in the catheter and being coupled to the electrode.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the signal processor includes:

an amplifier, the amplifier being coupled to the electrode; and

a digital converter, the digital converter converting the output of the amplifier into a digital representation.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the digital converter includes a Schmitt trigger.

22. The device of claim 18 comprising a plurality of electrodes.

23. The device of claim 22 comprising:

a signal processor, the signal processor being arrange in the catheter and being coupled to the plurality of electrodes.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein the signal processor includes:

a plurality of amplifiers, each of the plurality of amplifiers being coupled to one of the plurality of electrodes;

a plurality of digital converters, each of the plurality of digital converters converting the output of one of the plurality of amplifiers into a binary representation; and

a multiplexer, the multiplexer being coupled to an output of each of the plurality of digital converters and multiplexing the outputs of the digital converters onto an output signal line.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein each of the electrodes includes a nano-wire and the output signal line includes a micro-wire.

26. The device of claim 18 wherein said electrode is operative to provide a stimulation signal to said neural tissue.

27. The device of claim 18 further comprising a second electrode placed in a second blood vessel proximate to the neural tissue, said second electrode being of sufficiently small size such that it is capable of being inserted into a capillary, said second electrode being operative to provide a stimulation signal to said neural tissue.

30. The device according to claim 18, wherein the electrode is less than 1 μ

m in diameter.

28. A method of sensing the activity of muscle tissue, the method comprising the steps of:

placing an electrode in a blood vessel proximate to the muscle tissue, said electrode being of sufficiently small size such that it is capable of being inserted into a capillary; and

monitoring a signal on the electrode by way of a wire connected to the electrode, wherein the signal is indicative of the electrical activity of the muscle tissue.

29. A device for sensing the activity of muscle tissue comprising:

a catheter; and

an electrode of sufficiently small size that it is capable of being inserted in a capillary, the electrode being deployed from the catheter in a blood vessel proximate to the muscle tissue, wherein a signal on the electrode is monitored by way of a wire connected to the electrode and indicative of the electrical activity of the muscle tissue.