Benchmark IV ixk51

Innovation

This research presents a novel method of interfacing with the peripheral nervous system. While studies have shown the effectiveness of using interfascicular electrodes for nerve stimulation, at the time of writing, no study indicating usage of interfascicular electrodes for neural recording has been published.

The novelty of our approach to achieving a stable and selective neural interface for recording stems from implanting electrodes in the epineurium, outside the fascicle but inside the nerve. The selection of the electrode of electrode to be used is also novel: we purposely use biocompatible wires with a low Young’s modulus to ensure a dynamic and chemical compatibility with nervous tissue, which should minimize local autoimmune response. Electrode insertion is possible by quantifying the force needed to penetrate the perineurium (tough tissue that surrounds the fascicles) and inserting the electrodes with a smaller force, which is also a technique that has not been utilized before. Studies to determine the maximum force of insertion as well as the optimal electrode tip shapes are currently being conducted in our lab.

This study is structured as an animal trial phase that is required by the FDA for consideration for human use. We propose to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of the technology in animal models in order to translate the research to FDA-approved human trials.

This translation will have important clinical impacts on the areas of rehabilitation, and prostheses. For rehabilitation, this reliable, selective interface will enable a control system of an FES device to stimulate several muscles independently, and in a fashion corresponding to the desires of the patient. This would be an enormous advancement towards complete functional restoration of patients suffering from post-stroke paralysis, spinal cord injuries, or neurodegenerative diseases. For the prosthetic industry, the proposed interface could enable a motorized prosthetic system to have multiple degrees of freedom, where the motor usage is directly proportional to the user’s own neuronal signals. Users of such prosthetic systems will be able to regain much of the functions associated with the lost limb, even in such complex systems as the human hand. Ultimately, the usability of the interfascicular electrode technology is not confined to the two areas of clinical practice outlined above. It can be used whenever it is necessary to “listen” to the nervous system, which in the future may become advantageous for a human-machine interface, diagnostic, or other purposes.