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Broad wavelength profile to homogenize the absorption profile in optical stimulation of nerves

  • US 9,011,508 B2
  • Filed: 07/21/2012
  • Issued: 04/21/2015
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2007
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for optically stimulating a neural tissue in a cochlea of a person in order to trigger a compound nerve-action-potential (CNAP) response that evokes sensations for the person without damaging the neural tissue, wherein the neural tissue includes a plurality of neural tissue types at different tissue depths including a first type at a first tissue depth having a first optical-absorption coefficient at a first wavelength, a second type at a second tissue depth having a second optical-absorption coefficient at a second wavelength, and a third type at a third tissue depth that has a third optical-absorption coefficient at a third wavelength, wherein the third neural tissue type is located between the first depth and the second depth, wherein application of a first predetermined amount of energy at the first wavelength has a first effectiveness in triggering a CNAP in the neural tissue, wherein application of the second predetermined amount of energy at the second wavelength has a second effectiveness in triggering a CNAP in the neural tissue, and wherein the first wavelength is different than the second wavelength, the apparatus comprising:

  • means for generating a broad-band optical stimulation signal comprising a plurality of pulsed narrow-band optical stimulation signals, each having an optical-signal-energy amount at a different wavelength, the broad-band optical stimulation signal including a first optical-signal-energy amount at the first wavelength and a second optical-signal-energy amount at the second wavelength, wherein the second wavelength differs from the first wavelength by at least 5 nm, and wherein the means for generating includes;

    means for emitting the plurality of pulsed narrow-band optical stimulation signals including a first, a second and a third narrow-band laser capable of emitting optical stimulation signals at the first, the second and the third wavelengths, respectively;

    means for combining the plurality of pulsed narrow-band optical stimulation signals to form the broad-band optical-stimulation signal; and

    means for delivering the broad-band optical-stimulation signal to the neural tissue of the person, wherein the delivered signal triggers, in the neural tissue, one or more CNAP responses to the delivered signal, and wherein the delivered broad-band optical-stimulation signal has an effectiveness in triggering a CNAP in the neural tissue that is greater than the first effectiveness, and greater than the second effectiveness;

    and means for controlling the means for emitting the plurality of pulsed narrow-band optical stimulation signals configured to dynamically vary over time the optical-energy-amount of each of the plurality of narrow-band optical stimulation signals independently, wherein the means for controlling is configured to control, at a first time, the first, the second and the third narrow-band lasers so that the broad-band optical-stimulation signal triggers nerve-action-potentials (NAPs) at both the first and the second depths, but does not trigger NAPs at the third depth, and to control, at a second time, the first, the second, and the third narrow-band lasers so that the broad-band optical-stimulation signal triggers NAPs at the first, the second and the third depths equally.

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