Bioelectromagnetic interface system

• US 8,512,219 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2007
• Issued: 08/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gearbox LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Ferren, Bran, Hillis, W. Daniel, Hyde, Roderick A., Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Jung, Edward K. Y., Leuthardt, Eric C., Myhrvold, Nathan P., Tegreene, Clarence T., Wood, Lowell L. Jr., Wood, Victoria Y. H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marmor, II, Charles A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dorna, Carrie R
• Application Number:
  US11/726,025
• Publication Number:
  US 20080033569A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,346 Days
• Field of Search: 600 9- 15, 600/114, 600/109, 600/118, 600/160, 600/302, 600/424, 128897-899, 607/2, 607/36, 607/116
• US Class Current: 600/12
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00016 using wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00029 externally powered, e.g. wireless
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00156 using self propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/04 Endoscopic instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/22 Implements for squeezing-off ulcers or the like on the inside of inner organs of the body; Implements for scraping-out cavities of body organs, e.g. bones; Calculus removers; Calculus smashing apparatus; Apparatus for removing obstructions in blood vessels, not otherwise provided for dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/29 Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/295 combined with cutting implements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3207 Atherectomy devices working by cutting or abrading; Similar devices specially adapted for non-vascular obstructions A61B17/32037 takes precedence; endoscopic cutting instruments A61B17/320016
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00022 Sensing or detecting at the treatment site
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00345 Micromachines, nanomachines, microsystems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/301 for introducing or steering flexible instruments inserted into the body, e.g. catheters or endoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/303 specifically adapted for manipulations within body lumens, e.g. within lumen of gut, spine, or blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/064 for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0219 of externally powered implanted units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/17 Comprising radiolucent components
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/20 Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/32 operating autonomously
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/72 Micromanipulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0008 : Temperature signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 : Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0084 : for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 : Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0215 : by means inserted into the body catheters A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/03 : Detecting, measuring or recording fluid pressure within the body other than blood pressure, e.g. cerebral pressure; Measuring pressure in body tissues or organs A61B5/205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/145 : Measuring characteristics of blood in vivo, e.g. gas concentration, pH value; Measuring characteristics of body fluids or tissues, e.g. interstitial fluid, cerebral tissuemeasuring of blood pressure or blood flow A61B5/02; non-radiation detecting or locating of foreign bodies in blood A61B5/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14539 : for measuring pH
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/24 : Detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/415 : the glands, e.g. tonsils, adenoids or thymus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/418 : lymph vessels, ducts or nodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4839 : combined with drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/00 : Instruments for auscultation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/12 : in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters catheters per se A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4472 : Wireless probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/56 : Details of data transmission or power supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/04 : Hollow or tubular parts of organs, e.g. bladders, tracheae, bronchi or bile ducts A61F2/18, A61F2/20 take precedence; devices, other than stent-grafts, providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body other than stent-grafts, e.g. stents A61F2/82; instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts A61F2/95
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30668 : Means for transferring electromagnetic energy to implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3067 : for data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0001 : Means for transferring electromagnetic energy to implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0002 : for data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0068 : the pharmaceutical product being in a reservoir
• 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 1/37205 : Microstimulators, e.g. implantable through a cannula

Abstract

Lumen-traveling biological interface devices and associated methods and systems are described. Lumen-traveling biological interface devices capable of traveling within a body lumen may include a propelling mechanism to produce movement of the lumen-traveling device within the lumen, electrodes or other electromagnetic transducers for detecting biological signals and electrodes, coils or other electromagnetic transducers for delivering electromagnetic stimuli to stimulus responsive tissues. Lumen-traveling biological interface devices may also include additional components such as sensors, an active portion, and/or control circuitry.

Claims

1. A method of configuring a bioelectromagnetic interface system, comprising:

moving at least one bioelectromagnetic interface device through a body tube tree of a subject toward a target site with an untethered self-propelling lumen-traveling device;

detecting the arrival of the at least one bioelectromagnetic interface device at the target site;

after detecting the arrival of the at least one bioelectromagnetic interface device at the target site, releasing the at least one bioelectromagnetic interface device from the untethered self-propelling lumen-traveling device at the target site; and

after releasing the at least one bioelectromagnetic interface device, moving the untethered self-propelling lumen-traveling device away from the target site while leaving the at least one bioelectromagnetic interface device at the target site.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein moving the at least one bioelectromagnetic interface device through the body tube tree of the subject toward the target site with the untethered self-propelling lumen-traveling device includes moving the at least one bioelectromagnetic interface device through a body tube tree of a subject toward the target site with the untethered self-propelling lumen-traveling device by one of pushing the at least one bioelectromagnetic interface device with the untethered self-propelling lumen-traveling device or pulling the at least one bioelectromagnetic interface device with the untethered self-propelling lumen-traveling device.

3. The method of claim 1, including securing the at least one bioelectromagnetic interface device to a wall of the body tube tree at the target site.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the body tube tree is a cardiovascular system of the subject, a CSF-space of the subject, a respiratory system of the subject, a gastrointestinal tract of the subject, or a urogenital tract of the subject.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the body tube tree is a CSF-space of the subject.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the body tube tree is a respiratory system of the subject.

7. A method of emplacing a bioelectromagnetic interface system, comprising:

introducing a plurality of bioelectromagnetic interface devices into a body tube tree of a subject via at least one introduction site, at least one of the bioelectromagnetic interface devices including;

at least one first transducer configured for producing an output signal representative of an electrical signal sensed from a target tissue;

at least one signal processing portion capable of processing the output signal from the at least one first transducer;

at least one stimulus source capable of producing an electrical stimulus; and

at least one second transducer for delivering the electrical stimulus to the target tissue;

causing at least a portion of the plurality of bioelectromagnetic interface devices to travel within the body tube tree under their own power to a plurality of target sites within the body tube tree, at least a portion of the plurality of target sites located in the vicinity of the target tissue; and

securing at least one of the plurality of bioelectromagnetic interface devices to the wall of the body tube tree adjacent to a respective target site.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein introducing the plurality of bioelectromagnetic interface devices into the body tube tree of the subject via the at least one introduction site includes introducing the plurality of bioelectromagnetic interface devices into the body tube tree of the subject via the at least one introduction site as a linked group of bioelectromagnetic interface devices linked by at least one tether.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein causing the plurality of bioelectromagnetic interface devices to travel within the body tube tree to the plurality of target sites within the body tube tree includes causing at least a portion of the plurality of bioelectromagnetic interface devices to travel within the body tube tree by moving the at least a portion of the plurality of bioelectromagnetic interface devices through the body tube tree attached to at least one catheter.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the target tissue includes at least a portion of a nervous system of the subject.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the target tissue includes at least a portion of a cingulate cortex, a formix, an anterior thalamus, a subthalamic nucleus, or a globus pallidus interna.

12. The method of claim 7, including selecting at least a portion of the plurality of target sites based upon anatomical information.

13. The method of claim 7, including selecting at least a portion of the plurality of target sites based upon measurement of one or more physiological parameters.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the one or more physiological parameters include at least one of a signal characteristic of a selected region of a nervous system, a signal characteristic of a selected region of a heart, or a signal-to-noise ratio indicative of good signal transduction path between at least a portion of the plurality of bioelectromagnetic interface devices and the target tissue.

15. The method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of target sites are spatially distributed around or throughout the target tissue.

16. The method of claim 7, wherein the target tissue includes at least a portion of a heart, a urogenital tract, a muscle, or a gastrointestinal tract of the subject.

17. The method of claim 7, wherein the body tube tree is a cardiovascular system, a respiratory system, a CSF-space, a urogenital tract, or a gastrointestinal tract of the subject.

18. A method of emplacing a bioelectromagnetic interface system, comprising:

introducing a plurality of bioelectromagnetic interface devices into a body tube tree of a subject via at least one introduction site, at least one of the bioelectromagnetic interface devices including;

at least one first transducer configured for producing an output signal representative of an electrical signal sensed from a target tissue;

at least one signal processing portion capable of processing the output signal from the at least one first transducer;

at least one stimulus source capable of producing an electrical stimulus; and

at least one second transducer for delivering the electrical stimulus to the target tissue;

causing the plurality of bioelectromagnetic interface devices to travel within the body tube tree to a plurality of target sites within the body tube tree, at least a portion of the plurality of target sites located in the vicinity of the target tissue;

selecting at least a portion of the plurality of target sites based upon measurement of a signal-to-noise ratio indicative of a good signal transduction path between at least a portion of the plurality of bioelectromagnetic interface devices and the target tissue; and

delivering an electrical stimulus to the target tissue with at least a portion of the plurality of bioelectromagnetic interface devices.

19. The method of claim 18, including detecting a remote control signal and delivering the electrical stimulus to the target tissue with at least a portion of the bioelectromagnetic interface devices in response to detecting the remote control signal.

20. The method of claim 18, including delivering the electrical stimulus to the target tissue with at least a portion of the bioelectromagnetic interface devices based upon a pre-programmed stimulation pattern.

21. The method of claim 18, including storing a record of the operation of at least a portion of the plurality of bioelectromagnetic interface devices.

22. The method of claim 18, including detecting a signal from the target tissue or at least one region associated therewith and delivering the electromagnetic stimulus to the target tissue with at least a portion of the plurality of bioelectromagnetic interface devices in response to detecting the signal from the target tissue or the at least one region associated therewith, wherein the signal is a bioelectric signal, a biomagnetic signal, a biochemical signal or a biophysical signal.

23. The method of claim 18, including transmitting at least one of a representation of an activity of at least a portion of the plurality of bioelectromagnetic interface devices or information relating to the status of at least a portion of the plurality of bioelectromagnetic interface devices.

24. A method of emplacing a bioelectromagnetic interface system, comprising:

introducing a plurality of bioelectromagnetic interface devices into a body tube tree of a subject via at least one introduction site, at least one of the bioelectromagnetic interface devices including;

at least one first transducer configured for producing an output signal representative of a magnetic signal sensed from a target tissue;

at least one signal processing portion capable of processing the output signal from the at least one first transducer;

at least one stimulus source capable of producing a magnetic stimulus; and

at least one second transducer for delivering the magnetic stimulus to the target tissue; and

causing the plurality of bioelectromagnetic interface devices to travel within the body tube tree to a plurality of target sites within the body tube tree, at least a portion of the plurality of target sites located in the vicinity of the target tissue.