Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110295331 | LASER-BASED NERVE STIMULATORS FOR, E.G., HEARING RESTORATION IN COCHLEAR PROSTHESES AND METHOD - 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. | 12-01-2011 |
20130023961 | INDIVIDUALLY OPTIMIZED PERFORMANCE OF OPTICALLY STIMULATING COCHLEAR IMPLANTS - Method and apparatus for optically stimulating neurons of a plurality of auditory nerve pathways of a person to provide auditory sensations for the person including generating a plurality of pulsed light signals having one or more successive pulses; delivering the plurality of pulsed light signals to one or more auditory nerve pathways of the cochlea of the person; selectively controlling the plurality of light signals to optically stimulate and trigger nerve action potentials (NAPs) in the one or more auditory nerve pathways, wherein the selectively controlling includes empirically testing the delivering of the plurality of light signals and determining which optical-stimulation parameters used during the testing are most effective for optically stimulating the auditory nerve pathways of the person, and using results of the testing such that the delivering includes delivering the plurality of light signals with the optical-stimulation parameters that were determined to be most effective for optically stimulating. | 01-24-2013 |
20130023964 | OPTICAL PULSE-WIDTH MODULATION USED IN AN OPTICAL-STIMULATION COCHLEAR IMPLANT - Method and apparatus for optically stimulating neurons of a plurality of auditory nerve pathways of a person to provide auditory sensations for the person including generating a plurality of pulsed light signals having one or more successive pulses; delivering the plurality of pulsed light signals to one or more auditory nerve pathways of the cochlea of the person; selectively controlling the plurality of light signals to optically stimulate and trigger nerve action potentials (NAPs) in the one or more auditory nerve pathways. In some embodiments of the present invention, pulse-repetition rate and peak pulse power are held constant, while pulse width is modulated to evoke a sufficient dynamic range of NAPs (i.e., different NAP strengths), thus encoding sound-loudness information for the listener. | 01-24-2013 |
20130023965 | OPTIMIZED STIMULATION RATE OF AN OPTICALLY STIMULATING COCHLEAR IMPLANT - Method and apparatus for optically stimulating neurons of a plurality of auditory nerve pathways of a person to provide auditory sensations for the person including generating a plurality of pulsed light signals having one or more successive pulses; delivering the plurality of pulsed light signals to one or more auditory nerve pathways of the cochlea of the person; selectively controlling the plurality of light signals to optically stimulate and trigger nerve action potentials (NAPs) in the one or more auditory nerve pathways. In some embodiments, the stimulation rate (i.e., pulse-repetition rate) is optimized for the patient based on comfort levels, speech-recognition scores, and temperature feedback from monitors in the cochlea. In some embodiments, the methods of the present invention find practical lower and upper limits to the rate of stimulation to increase the speech-recognition scores while implementing safety limits to preventing overheating. | 01-24-2013 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090000192 | APPARATUS WITH HIGH SURFACE AREA NANOSTRUCTURES FOR HYDROGEN STORAGE, AND METHODS OF STORING HYDROGEN - Method and apparatus for storing hydrogen. One embodiment of such a method comprises providing a storage apparatus having a substrate and a nanostructure mat on at least a portion of a side of the substrate. The nanostructure mat comprises a plurality of nanostructures having a surface ionization state which causes more than one layer of hydrogen to adsorb onto the nanostructures. The method can also include exposing the nanostructure mat to hydrogen such that more than one layer of hydrogen adsorbs onto the nanostructures. | 01-01-2009 |
20100215915 | METHOD FOR MANUFACTURE AND COATING OF NANOSTRUCTURED COMPONENTS - The synthesis of nanostructures uses a catalyst that may be in the form of a thin film layer on a substrate. Precursor compounds are selected for low boiling point or already exist in gaseous form. Nanostructures are capable of synthesis with a masked substrate to form patterned nanostructure growth. The techniques further include forming metal nanoparticles with sizes <10 nm and with a narrow size distribution. Metallic nanoparticles have been shown to possess enhanced catalytic properties. The process may include plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition to deposit Ni, Pt, and/or Au nanoparticles onto the surfaces of SiO2, SiC, and GaN nanowires. A nanostructure sample can be coated with metallic nanoparticles in approximately 5-7 minutes. The size of the nanoparticles can be controlled through appropriate control of temperature and pressure during the process. The coated nanowires have application as gas and aqueous sensors and hydrogen storage. | 08-26-2010 |
20100276304 | APPARATUS WITH HIGH SURFACE AREA NANOSTRUCTURES FOR HYDROGEN STORAGE, AND METHODS OF STORING HYDROGEN - Method and apparatus for storing hydrogen. One embodiment of such a method comprises providing a storage apparatus having a substrate and a nanostructure mat on at least a portion of a side of the substrate. The nanostructure mat comprises a plurality of nanostructures having a surface ionization state which causes more than one layer of hydrogen to adsorb onto the nanostructures. The method can also include exposing the nanostructure mat to hydrogen such that more than one layer of hydrogen adsorbs onto the nanostructures. | 11-04-2010 |
20110043037 | NANOSTRUCTURED HIGH SURFACE AREA ELECTRODES FOR ENERGY STORAGE DEVICES - High surface area electrodes are described here. The electrodes comprise a conductive substrate and a mesh of nanostructures disposed on the conductive substrate. The nanostructures are coated with conductive or semiconducting nanoparticles to form a high surface area electrode. Methods for making high surface area electrodes are also provided. Further, energy storage devices incorporating the high surface area electrodes are described. Related systems incorporating energy storage devices are also disclosed. | 02-24-2011 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100243020 | HYBRID STRUCTURES FOR SOLAR ENERGY CAPTURE - A solar energy capture device (solar cell) comprising a disordered mat of semiconductor nanostructures decorated with metal nanoparticles of varying diameters is described. The solar cell may be configured as a semiconductor-type solar cell or as a Gratzel-type solar cell. | 09-30-2010 |
20110053020 | CATALYSTS AND RELATED METHODS - Nanostructured catalysts and related methods are described. The nanostructured catalysts have a hierarchical structure that facilitates modification of the catalysts for use in particular reactions. Methods for generating hydrogen from a hydrogen-containing molecular species using a nanostructured catalyst are described. The hydrogen gas may be collected and stored, or the hydrogen gas may be collected and consumed for the generation of energy. Thus, the methods may be used as part of the operation of an energy-consuming device or system, e.g., an engine or a fuel cell. Methods for storing hydrogen by using a nanostructured catalyst to react a dehydrogenated molecular species with hydrogen gas to form a hydrogen-containing molecular species are also described. | 03-03-2011 |
20110065017 | CATALYST MATERIALS AND METHODS FOR REFORMING HYDROCARBON FUELS - In one embodiment, a composition for use in reforming is provided comprising a catalyst material comprising molybdenum dioxide and/or MO | 03-17-2011 |
20120313587 | LITHIUM-ION BATTERIES WITH NANOSTRUCTURED ELECTRODES AND ASSOCIATED METHODS OF MAKING - Several embodiments related to lithium-ion batteries having electrodes with nanostructures, compositions of such nanostructures, and associated methods of making such electrodes are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method for producing an anode suitable for a lithium-ion battery comprising preparing a surface of a substrate material and forming a plurality of conductive nanostructures on the surface of the substrate material via electrodeposition without using a template. | 12-13-2012 |
20140315085 | BATTERIES WITH NANOSTRUCTURED ELECTRODES AND ASSOCIATED METHODS - Several embodiments related to batteries having electrodes with nanostructures, compositions of such nanostructures, and associated methods of making such electrodes are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method for producing an anode suitable for a lithium-ion battery comprising preparing a surface of a substrate material and forming a plurality of conductive nanostructures on the surface of the substrate material via electrodeposition without using a template. | 10-23-2014 |
20150357629 | LITHIUM-ION BATTERIES WITH NANOSTRUCTURED ELECTRODES - Several embodiments related to lithium-ion batteries having electrodes with nanostructures, compositions of such nanostructures, and associated methods of making such electrodes are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method for producing an anode suitable for a lithium-ion battery comprising preparing a surface of a substrate material and forming a plurality of conductive nanostructures on the surface of the substrate material via electrodeposition without using a template. The substrate material is at least partially compliant. | 12-10-2015 |