Laser-based nerve stimulators for, E.G., hearing restoration in cochlear prostheses and method
First Claim
1. A method for stimulating neurons of a plurality of auditory nerve pathways of a person to provide sensations for the person, the plurality of auditory nerve pathways including a first auditory nerve pathway and a second auditory nerve pathway, the method comprising:
- generating a plurality of stimulation light signals, including a first stimulation light signal and a second stimulation light signal, that, when applied to a neuron of the person while the neuron is sensitized, each will stimulate a nerve action potential (NAP) in the neuron;
generating a first electrical sensitizing signal, that, when applied to the neuron of the person, will sensitize the neuron to trigger a NAP in the neuron upon application of one or more of the plurality stimulation light signals to the neuron;
delivering, during a first time period, the first electrical sensitizing signal to a plurality of neurons of the plurality of auditory nerve pathways of the person;
delivering, during a second time period that starts after a start time of the first time period, the first stimulation light signal to one or more neurons of the first auditory nerve pathway of the person;
delivering, during the second time period, the second stimulation light signal to one or more neurons of the second auditory nerve pathway of the person;
selectively controlling the plurality of stimulation light signals to provide controlled optical stimulation in order to trigger NAPs in the one or more neurons in the first auditory nerve pathway independently from triggering NAPs in the one or more neurons in the second auditory nerve pathway;
receiving an audio signal;
determining whether a first temporal period of the received audio signal includes wideband audio-spectral content; and
based on the determination of the wideband audio-spectral content, delivering an electrical-stimulation signal corresponding to the first temporal period to the plurality of auditory nerve pathways simultaneously, with sufficient current to trigger NAPs in the plurality of auditory nerve pathways without use of the light signals.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and method for optical- or optical-and-electrical stimulation of e.g., auditory nerve pathways, for example spiral ganglion in the cochlea or neurons in the cochlear nerve. Several configurations for guiding and directing the optical stimulation are disclosed. Several configurations for guiding and directing the electrical field (used in some embodiments, for sensitization) in and through the destination tissue to which the optical stimulation is directed are disclosed. In some embodiments, and array of IR VCSELs emit stimulation light, in particular to tissue in the cochlea for restoring hearing. In some embodiments, an electrical signal is also applied in a manner that reduces the amount of light in a pulse that is otherwise needed to elicit a NAP. In some embodiments, a heat dissipater is used to spread the heat generated by operation of the lasers and their circuits, to avoid heat damage to the tissue.
210 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method for stimulating neurons of a plurality of auditory nerve pathways of a person to provide sensations for the person, the plurality of auditory nerve pathways including a first auditory nerve pathway and a second auditory nerve pathway, the method comprising:
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generating a plurality of stimulation light signals, including a first stimulation light signal and a second stimulation light signal, that, when applied to a neuron of the person while the neuron is sensitized, each will stimulate a nerve action potential (NAP) in the neuron; generating a first electrical sensitizing signal, that, when applied to the neuron of the person, will sensitize the neuron to trigger a NAP in the neuron upon application of one or more of the plurality stimulation light signals to the neuron; delivering, during a first time period, the first electrical sensitizing signal to a plurality of neurons of the plurality of auditory nerve pathways of the person; delivering, during a second time period that starts after a start time of the first time period, the first stimulation light signal to one or more neurons of the first auditory nerve pathway of the person; delivering, during the second time period, the second stimulation light signal to one or more neurons of the second auditory nerve pathway of the person; selectively controlling the plurality of stimulation light signals to provide controlled optical stimulation in order to trigger NAPs in the one or more neurons in the first auditory nerve pathway independently from triggering NAPs in the one or more neurons in the second auditory nerve pathway; receiving an audio signal; determining whether a first temporal period of the received audio signal includes wideband audio-spectral content; and based on the determination of the wideband audio-spectral content, delivering an electrical-stimulation signal corresponding to the first temporal period to the plurality of auditory nerve pathways simultaneously, with sufficient current to trigger NAPs in the plurality of auditory nerve pathways without use of the light signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of independently controllable light sources that are configured to generate a plurality of stimulation light signals, including a first stimulation light signal and a second stimulation light signal, that, when applied to a neuron of the person while the neuron is sensitized, each will stimulate a nerve action potential (NAP) in the neuron; electrical driver electronics that generate a first electrical sensitizing signal, that, when applied to the neuron of the person, will sensitize the neuron to trigger a NAP in the neuron upon application of one or more of the plurality of stimulation light signals to the neuron; a first transmission medium configured to transmit, during a first time period, the first electrical sensitizing signal to a plurality of neurons of a plurality of auditory nerve pathways of the person including a first auditory nerve pathway and a second auditory nerve pathway; a second transmission medium configured to transmit, during a second time period that starts after a start time of the first time period, the first stimulation light signal from the plurality of light sources to one or more neurons of the first auditory nerve pathway of the person, and to transmit, during the second time period, the second stimulation light signal from the plurality of light sources to one or more neurons of the second auditory nerve pathway of the person; a controller operatively coupled to the plurality of light sources to selectively control the plurality of stimulation light signals, and operatively coupled to the electrical driver electronics to selectively control the first electrical sensitizing signal, such that in combination with the first electrical sensitizing signal the first stimulation light signal provides controlled optical stimulation to-trigger nerve action potentials (NAPs) produced by the one or more neurons in the first auditory nerve pathway but not the second auditory pathway, and the second stimulation light signal provides controlled optical stimulation to trigger NAPs by the one or more neurons in the second auditory nerve pathway but not the first auditory pathway, in order to provide auditory sensations for the person; a microphone configured to receive an audio signal; an audio-signal processor that determines whether a first temporal period of the received audio signal includes a wideband audio-spectral content, wherein the controller is further configured to, based on the determination of the wideband audio-spectral content, cause the electrical driver electronics to deliver an electrical-stimulation signal corresponding to the first temporal period to the plurality of auditory nerve pathways simultaneously, with sufficient current to trigger NAPs in the plurality of auditory nerve pathways without use of the light signals. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An apparatus for stimulating neurons of a plurality of auditory nerve pathways, of a person to provide sensations for the person, the plurality of auditory nerve pathways including a first auditory nerve pathway and a second auditory nerve pathway, the apparatus comprising:
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means for generating a plurality of stimulation light signals, including a first stimulation light signal and a second stimulation light signal, that, when applied to a neuron of the person while the neuron is sensitized, each will stimulate a nerve action potential (NAP) in the neuron; means for generating a first electrical sensitizing signal, that, when applied to the neuron of the person, will sensitize the neuron to trigger a NAP in the neuron upon application of one or more of the plurality of stimulation light signals to the neuron; means for delivering, during a first time period, the first electrical sensitizing signal to a plurality of neurons of the plurality of auditory nerve pathway of the person; means for delivering, during a second time period that starts after a start time of the first time period, the first stimulation light signal to one or more neurons of the first auditory nerve pathway of the person; means for delivering, during the second time period, the second stimulation light signal to one or more neurons of the second auditory nerve pathway of the person; means for selectively controlling the plurality of stimulation light signals to provide controlled optical stimulation in order to trigger NAPs in the one or more neurons in the first auditory nerve pathway independently from triggering NAPs in the one or more neurons in the second auditory nerve pathway; means for receiving an audio signal; means for determining whether a first temporal period of the received audio signal includes a wideband audio-spectral content; and means for, based on the determination of the wideband audio-spectral content, delivering an electrical-stimulation signal corresponding to the first temporal period to the plurality of auditory nerve pathways simultaneously, with sufficient current to trigger NAPs in the plurality of auditory nerve pathways without use of the light signals. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification