Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080221653 | FLEXIBLE CIRCUIT ELECTRODE ARRAY - A flexible circuit electrode array comprising:
| 09-11-2008 |
20080268134 | ELECTRODE WITH INCREASED STABILITY AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME - The present invention provides an implantable electrode with increased stability having a clustered structure wherein the surface of the electrode is covered with a material comprising openings which are filled with sticks or posts. | 10-30-2008 |
20080275362 | Method for Measuring Stable and Reproducible Electrode-Tissue Impedance - The present invention is a method for measuring stable and reproducible electrode-tissue impedance, comprising preconditioning an electrode-tissue interface. Further aspect of the invention is a stimulation system for a visual prosthesis generating a stimulation signal to precondition the electrode-tissue interface, comprising a computer; software, loaded in the computer, adapted to perform a stimulating method for a visual prosthesis having a plurality of electrodes; a video processing unit; and an implanted neuron-stimulator. | 11-06-2008 |
20080283417 | Process for Cathodic Protection of Electrode Materials - The present invention relates to a process for cathodic protection of electrode or electrode materials wherein negative bias is applied on the electrode. the negative bias is obtained by asymmetric current pulse. The asymmetric current pulse is obtained by performing negative phase with higher amplitude. The asymmetric current pulse is obtained by performing negative phase with wider pulse width than that of the anodic phase. The asymmetric current pulse is obtained by performing negative phase with higher amplitude and with wider pulse width than that of the anodic phase. The present invention further relates to a process for cathodic protection of electrode or electrode materials, wherein negative bias is applied on the electrode, wherein the negative bias is obtained by asymmetric current pulse, wherein the asymmetric current pulse is obtained by performing negative phase with wider pulse width than that of the anodic phase. The wider pulse width is obtained by pulse trains. | 11-20-2008 |
20080288037 | Flexible Circuit Electrode Array - A flexible circuit electrode array with more than one layer of metal traces comprising: a polymer base layer; more than one layer of metal traces, separated by polymer layers, deposited on said polymer base layer, including electrodes suitable to stimulate neural tissue; and a polymer top layer deposited on said polymer base layer and said metal traces. Polymer materials are useful as electrode array bodies for neural stimulation. They are particularly useful for retinal stimulation to create artificial vision, cochlear stimulation to create artificial hearing, or cortical stimulation many purposes. The pressure applied against the retina, or other neural tissue, by an electrode array is critical. Too little pressure causes increased electrical resistance, along with electric field dispersion. Too much pressure may block blood flow. | 11-20-2008 |
20080294223 | Fitting a Neural Prosthesis Using Impedance and Electrode Height - The invention is a method of automatically adjusting an electrode array to the neural characteristics of an individual subject. The response to electrical neural stimulation varies from subject to subject. Measure of impedance may be used to predict the electrode height from the neural tissue and, thereby, predict the threshold of perception. Alternatively, electrode height may be measured directly to predict the threshold of perception. Also, impedance measurement may be used to quickly identify defective electrodes and proper electrode placement. | 11-27-2008 |
20080314506 | Biocompatible Electroplated Interconnection Bonding Method and Electronics Package Suitable for Implantation - The invention is directed to a method of bonding a hermetically sealed electronics package to an electrode or a flexible circuit and the resulting electronics package that is suitable for implantation in living tissue, such as for a retinal or cortical electrode array to enable restoration of sight to certain non-sighted individuals. The hermetically sealed electronics package is directly bonded to the flex circuit or electrode by electroplating a biocompatible material, such as platinum or gold, effectively forming a plated rivet-shaped connection, which bonds the flex circuit to the electronics package. The resulting electronic device is biocompatible and is suitable for long-term implantation in living tissue. The present invention is directed to a device comprising a substrate containing at least one contact, a flexible assembly containing at least one pad, and electroplated bonding between said contact and said pad that bonds said substrate and said flexible assembly together. The present invention is directed to a method of bonding for implantation a substrate to a flexible assembly, said method comprising the steps of: aligning said substrate and said flexible assembly, whereby there is a common alignment for a contact on said substrate and contact pads on said flexible assembly, and electroplating bonding between said contacts and said pads, thereby bonding said flexible assembly to said substrate. | 12-25-2008 |
20080314753 | Electrode Surface Coating and Method for Manufacturing the Same - An electrode surface coating and method for manufacturing the electrode surface coating comprising a conductive substrate; and one or more surface coatings comprising one or more of the following metals titanium, niobium, tantalum, ruthenium, rhodium, iridium, palladium, or gold, or an alloy of two or more metals, or a combination of two or more alloys or metal layers thereof having an increase in the surface area of 5 times to 500 times of the corresponding surface area resulting from the basic geometric shape. | 12-25-2008 |
20080319493 | Biocompatible electroplated interconnection bonding method and electronics package suitable for implantation - The invention is directed to a method of bonding a hermetically sealed electronics package to an electrode or a flexible circuit and the resulting electronics package that is suitable for implantation in living tissue, such as for a retinal or cortical electrode array to enable restoration of sight to certain non-sighted individuals. The hermetically sealed electronics package is directly bonded to the flex circuit or electrode by electroplating a biocompatible material, such as platinum or gold, effectively forming a plated rivet-shaped connection, which bonds the flex circuit to the electronics package. The resulting electronic device is biocompatible and is suitable for long-term implantation in living tissue. The present invention is directed to a device comprising a substrate containing at least one contact, a flexible assembly containing at least one pad, and electroplated bonding between said contact and said pad that bonds said substrate and said flexible assembly together. The present invention is directed to a method of bonding for implantation a substrate to a flexible assembly, said method comprising the steps of: aligning said substrate and said flexible assembly, whereby there is a common alignment for a contact on said substrate and contact pads on said flexible assembly, and electroplating bonding between said contacts and said pads, thereby bonding said flexible assembly to said substrate. | 12-25-2008 |
20090120801 | Electrode Surface Coating and Method for Manufacturing the Same - An electrode surface coating and method for manufacturing the electrode surface coating comprising a conductive substrate; and one or more surface coatings comprising one or more of the following metals titanium, niobium, tantalum, ruthenium, rhodium, iridium, palladium, or gold, or an alloy of two or more metals, or a combination of two or more alloys or metal layers thereof having an increase in the surface area of 5 times to 500 times of the corresponding surface area resulting from the basic geometric shape. | 05-14-2009 |
20100147702 | Process for Cathodic Protection of Electrode Material - The present invention relates to a process for cathodic protection of electrode or electrode materials wherein negative bias is applied on the electrode. The negative bias is obtained by asymmetric current pulse. The asymmetric current pulse is obtained by performing negative phase with higher amplitude. The asymmetric current pulse is obtained by performing negative phase with wider pulse width than that of the anodic phase. The asymmetric current pulse is obtained by performing negative phase with higher amplitude and with wider pulse width than that of the anodic phase. The present invention further relates to a process for cathodic protection of electrode or electrode materials, wherein negative bias is applied on the electrode, wherein the negative bias is obtained by asymmetric current pulse, wherein the asymmetric current pulse is obtained by performing negative phase with wider pulse width than that of the anodic phase. The wider pulse width is obtained by pulse trains. | 06-17-2010 |
20110118808 | BIOCOMPATIBLE BONDING METHOD AND ELECTRONICS PACKAGE SUITABLE FOR IMPLANTATION - The invention is directed to a method of bonding a hermetically sealed electronics package to an electrode or a flexible circuit and the resulting electronics package, that is suitable for implantation in living tissue, such as for a retinal or cortical electrode array to enable restoration of sight to certain non-sighted individuals. The hermetically sealed electronics package is directly bonded to the flex circuit or electrode by electroplating a biocompatible material, such as platinum or gold, effectively forming a plated rivet-shaped connection, which bonds the flex circuit to the electronics package. The resulting electronic device is biocompatible and is suitable for long-term implantation in living tissue. | 05-19-2011 |
20110282413 | Method of Improving Electrode Tissue Interface - A critical element of a retinal prosthesis is the stimulating electrode array, which is placed in close proximity to the retina. It is via this interface that a retinal prosthesis electrically stimulates nerve cells to produce the perception of light. The impedance load seen by the current driver consists of the tissue resistance and the complex electrode impedance. The results show that the tissue resistance of the retina is significantly greater than that of the vitreous humor in the eye. Circuit models of the electrode-retina interface are used to parameterize the different contributors to the overall impedance. | 11-17-2011 |
20120185015 | Method and Apparatus to Provide Safety Checks for Neural Stimulation - The present application deals generally with the stimulation of neural tissue by electronic means and specifically with controlling the level of electrical stimulation in order to prevent damage to the neural tissue. Methods presented in the disclosure include detecting current leakage via electrode impedance measurement, electrode capacitance measurement, and testing the electrode response to a test current pulse. Apparatus presented in the disclosure include circuitry and systems capable of performing the methods disclosed. | 07-19-2012 |
20120192416 | Flexible Circuit Electrode Array - A flexible circuit electrode array with more than one layer of metal traces comprising: a polymer base layer; more than one layer of metal traces, separated by polymer layers, deposited on said polymer base layer, including electrodes suitable to stimulate neural tissue; and a polymer top layer deposited on said polymer base layer and said metal traces. Polymer materials are useful as electrode array bodies for neural stimulation. They are particularly useful for retinal stimulation to create artificial vision, cochlear stimulation to create artificial hearing, or cortical stimulation many purposes. The pressure applied against the retina, or other neural tissue, by an electrode array is critical. Too little pressure causes increased electrical resistance, along with electric field dispersion. Too much pressure may block blood flow. | 08-02-2012 |
20120203293 | Locating a Neural Prosthesis using Impedance and Electrode Height - The invention is a method of identifying a preferred location for an electrode array to the neural characteristics of an individual subject. The response to electrical neural stimulation varies from subject to subject and array location to array location. Measure of impedance may be used to predict the electrode height from the neural tissue and, thereby, predict the preferred location. Alternatively, electrode height may be measured directly to predict the preferred location. | 08-09-2012 |
20120277620 | Method of Improving Electrode Tissue Interface - A critical element of a retinal prosthesis is the stimulating electrode array, which is placed in close proximity to the retina. It is via this interface that a retinal prosthesis electrically stimulates nerve cells to produce the perception of light. The impedance load seen by the current driver consists of the tissue resistance and the complex electrode impedance. The results show that the tissue resistance of the retina is significantly greater than that of the vitreous humor in the eye. Circuit models of the electrode-retina interface are used to parameterize the different contributors to the overall impedance. | 11-01-2012 |