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BROAD WAVELENGTH PROFILE TO HOMOGENIZE THE ABSORPTION PROFILE IN OPTICAL STIMULATION OF NERVES

  • US 20130023960A1
  • Filed: 07/21/2012
  • Published: 01/24/2013
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2007
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method for optically stimulating a first neural tissue of a person in order to trigger a nerve-action-potential (NAP) response that evokes sensations for the person without damaging the neural tissue, wherein the first neural tissue has a first optical-absorption coefficient at a first optical-absorption wavelength, and wherein applying a first predetermined amount of energy at the first wavelength has a first effectiveness in triggering a nerve-action potential in the first neural tissue, wherein the first neural tissue has a second optical-absorption coefficient at a second optical-absorption wavelength, and wherein applying a second predetermined amount of energy at the second wavelength has a second effectiveness in triggering a nerve-action potential in the first neural tissue, wherein the first optical-absorption wavelength is different than the second optical-absorption wavelength, the method comprising:

  • at a first time, generating a first pulsed optical-stimulation signal having optical-signal-energy amounts at a plurality of different wavelengths including the first optical-signal-energy amount at the first optical-absorption wavelength and the second optical-signal-energy amount at the second optical-absorption wavelength, and wherein the second optical-absorption wavelength differs from the first optical-absorption wavelength by at least 5 nm; and

    delivering the first pulsed optical-stimulation signal to the first neural tissue of the person, wherein the delivered signal at the first time triggers, in the first neural tissue, one or more nerve-action-potential responses to the signal, and wherein the delivering of the pulsed optical-stimulation signal has a third effectiveness that is greater than the first effectiveness, and greater than the second effectiveness.

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