Neural prosthesis

• US 9,108,060 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2013
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Case Western Reserve University
• Original Assignee: Case Western Reserve University
• Inventors: Kilgore, Kevin L., Peckham, Paul Hunter, Crish, Timothy J., Smith, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): DIETRICH, JOSEPH M
• Application Number:
  US13/956,848
• Publication Number:
  US 20130317415A1
• Time in Patent Office: 747 Days
• Field of Search: 607/32, 607/33, 607/60, 607/61
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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. 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;

at least two modules, each module comprises an actuator and a housing that encloses a network interface and a processor, wherein the at least two modules communicate with each other via a network link; and

a power source linked to each of the at least two modules to provide a power signal to each of the modules via the network link;

detecting, by at least one of the modules, at least one input signal; and

applying an output signal, by the at least one of the modules in response to the at least one input signal, to a portion of the nervous system to initiate a body function associated with the paralyzed region.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the modules receives all operational power remotely.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the modules is implanted within a paralyzed extremity.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the modules is implanted in a non-paralyzed extremity.

5. The method of claim 1, 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.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the stimulus delivered by the output signal is caused by delivery of a drive pulse or a drug.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein each module transmits and receives signals across the network link at a same fundamental data rate.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the fundamental data rate is based on a frequency of alternating pulses from the power source.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the network link comprises a wired connection.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein each module communicates across the network link at the same time.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein each module communicates across the network link according to a controller area network (CAN) protocol.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein each module further comprises a sensor configured to receive the at least one input signal transmitted via the network link.

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

implanting a neural prosthesis in the body, the neural prosthesis comprising;

a first module implanted in the first paralyzed region and a second module implanted in the second region, each module comprises an actuator and a housing that encloses a network interface and a processor, wherein the at least two modules communicate with each other via a network link; and

a power source linked to each of the at least two modules to provide a power signal to each of the modules via the network link;

detecting, by the first module or the second module, a plurality of input signals; and

applying, by the first module or the second module in response to the plurality of input signals, output signals to stimulate a portion of the nervous system in the first region or the second region to initiate a body.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein each of the modules receives power remotely.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the first module and the second module operate autonomously.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein each module communicates across the network link at the same time according to a controller area network (CAN) protocol.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the network link comprises a wired connection.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein each module transmits and receives signals across the network link at a same fundamental data rate based on a frequency of alternating pulses from the power source.

19. A neural prosthesis system that controls a paralyzed region of a body, comprising:

a first module comprising a first actuator and a first housing that encloses a first network interface to a network link and a first processor;

a second module comprising a second actuator and a second housing that encloses a second network interface to the network link and a second processor, wherein the first module and the second module communicate with each other via the network link; and

a power source that provides a power signal to the first module and the second module via the network link;

wherein the first module and the second module transmit and receive signals across the network link at a same fundamental data rate based on a frequency of alternating pulses from the power source.

20. The neural prosthesis system of claim 19, wherein the network link comprises a wired connection.