APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR STIMULATION OF BIOLOGICAL TISSUE
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for generating currents in biological tissue comprising:
- an electric source capable of generating an electric field across a region of tissue; and
a means for altering the permittivity of said tissue relative to said electric field, whereby the alteration of the permittivity of said tissue relative to said electric field generates a displacement current in said tissue.
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Abstract
An apparatus for generating focused currents in biological tissue is provided. The apparatus comprises an electric source capable of generating an electric field across a region of tissue and means for altering the permittivity of the tissue relative to the electric field, whereby a displacement current is generated. The means for altering the permittivity may be a chemical source, optical source, mechanical source, thermal source, or electromagnetic source.
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Citations
55 Claims
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1. An apparatus for generating currents in biological tissue comprising:
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an electric source capable of generating an electric field across a region of tissue; and
a means for altering the permittivity of said tissue relative to said electric field, whereby the alteration of the permittivity of said tissue relative to said electric field generates a displacement current in said tissue. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A method for stimulating biological tissue comprising:
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applying an electric source to a region of biological tissue to generate an electric field in said tissue; and
altering the permittivity of said tissue relative to said electric source by applying a means for altering the permittivity of said tissue relative to said electric field, whereby the alteration of the permittivity of said tissue relative to said electric field generates a displacement current in said tissue. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. An apparatus for generating currents in biological tissue comprising:
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an electric source capable of generating an electric field across a region of tissue whereby said electric source is at least one electrode attached to the outer surface of a region of surrounding tissue; and
an ultrasound device which generates a mechanical field focused on a sub-region of tissue whereby the combined effects of said electric field and said mechanical field generate an altered current with a newly generated displacement current within said region of tissue.
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52. A method for stimulating biological tissue comprising:
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applying an electric source to a region of biological tissue to generate an electric field in said tissue; and
a means for altering the permittivity of said tissue relative to said electric field, whereby a displacement current is generated; and
a means for altering the conductivity of said tissue relative to said electric field, whereby the ohmic current is altered.
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53. An apparatus for altering currents in biological tissue comprising:
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an electric source capable of generating an electric field across a region of tissue; and
a means for altering the permittivity of said tissue relative to said electric field, whereby a displacement current is generated; and
a means for altering the conductivity of said tissue relative to said electric field, whereby the ohmic current is altered.
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54. An apparatus for generating currents in biological tissue comprising:
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an electric source capable of generating an electric field across a region of tissue; and
an ultrasound device which generates a mechanical field focused on a sub-region of tissue whereby the combined effects of said electric field and said mechanical field generate an altered current with a newly generated displacement current within said region of tissue.
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55. An apparatus for altering currents in biological tissue comprising:
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an electric source capable of generating an electric field across a region of tissue; and
a means for altering the electromagnetic properties of said tissue relative to said electric field.
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Specification