NEURAL PROSTHESIS

• US 20130317415A1
• Filed: 08/01/2013
• Published: 11/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Case Western Reserve University
• Original Assignee: Case Western Reserve University
• Inventors: Peckham, Paul Hunter, Crish, Timothy J., Smith, Brian, Kilgore, Kevin L.
• Granted Patent: US 9,108,060 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36003 of motor muscles, e.g. for walking assistance
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36128 Control systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37288 Communication to several implantable medical devices within one patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source

Abstract

A neural prosthesis includes a centralized device that can provide power, data, and clock signals to one or more individual neural prosthesis subsystems. Each subsystem may include a number of individually addressable, programmable modules that can be dynamically allocated or shared among neural prosthetic networks to achieve complex, coordinated functions or to operate in autonomous groups.

Claims

1-70. -70. (canceled)

71. A method for controlling a paralyzed region of a body, the method comprising the steps of:

implanting a neural prosthesis in the body, the neural prosthesis comprising a power source and at least one sensor module linked to at least one actuator module via a communication medium, each module including a processor and a network interface configured to communicate with the other module, the power source providing a power signal to each one of the modules, each module obtaining power from and solely being powered by the power signal, each module including a housing that encloses the network interface and the processor;

detecting, by the sensor module, at least one input signal;

transmitting the at least one input signal from the sensor module to the actuator module via the communication medium; and

applying an output signal, by the actuator module, to stimulate nerve cells or some other portion of the nervous system, which in turn initiates muscle contraction or body function associated with the paralyzed region.

72. The method of claim 71, wherein at least one of the sensor module or the actuator module is physically free of a power storage element.

73. The method of claim 71, wherein the at least one actuator module is implanted within a paralyzed extremity.

74. The method of claim 71, wherein the at least one actuator module is implanted in a non-paralyzed extremity.

75. The method of claim 71, wherein the input signal is one of an EEG signal, an EMG signal, an EOG signal, a signal derived from a three-dimensional accelerometer, a signal derived from a nerve recording, or a signal associated with a physiological quantity.

76. The method of claim 71, wherein the stimulus delivered by the output signal is caused by delivery of a drive pulse or a drug.

77. A method for controlling first and second paralyzed regions of a body, the method comprising the steps of:

implanting first and second neural prostheses into first and second regions of the body, respectively, each of the first and second neural prostheses comprising a power source and at least one sensor module linked to at least one actuator module via a communication medium, each module including a processor and a network interface configured to communicate with the other module, the power source providing a power signal to each one of the modules, each module obtaining power from and solely being powered by the power signal, each module including a housing that encloses the network interface and the processor;

detecting, by the sensor modules, a plurality of input signals;

transmitting the plurality of input signals to the actuator modules via the communication media; and

applying output signals, by each of the actuator modules, to stimulate nerve cells or some other portion of the nervous system, which in turn initiates muscle contraction or body function associated with the first and second paralyzed regions;

wherein the first and second neural prostheses operate in autonomous groups.

78. The method of claim 77, wherein at least one of the sensor modules or the actuator modules is physically free of a power storage element.

79. The method of claim 77, wherein control is exercised autonomously over the first and second paralyzed regions by defining each of the first and second regions and programming the modules in the first and second regions to operate autonomously.

80. A method for controlling a paralyzed region of a body, the method comprising:

implanting first and second neural prostheses into first and second regions of the body, respectively, each of the first and second neural prostheses comprising a power source and at least one sensor module linked to at least one actuator module via a communication medium, each module including a processor and a network interface configured to communicate with the other module, the power source providing a power signal to each one of the modules, each module obtaining power from and solely being powered by the power signal, each module including a housing that encloses the network interface and the processor;

wherein the first and second neural prostheses are in a communicating relationship with one another; and

operating the first and second neural prostheses to achieve a body function of the paralyzed region that combines the first region of the body and the second region of the body.

81. The method of claim 80, wherein at least one of the sensor modules or the actuator modules is physically free of a power storage element.

82. The method of claim 80, wherein the body function is a muscle contraction in the first region in response to a user-initiated movement detected by the at least one sensor module in the second region.