Implantable transponders for neural stimulation and sensing

This project is concerned with transponders which can be implanted in the human body and can be used to generate electrical pulses for stimulation of nerves or to measure signals from nerves. The aim is to develop transponders which can restore essential motory functions for people with physical handicaps such as drop-foot. Initial investigations are concentrated on the development of nervous stimulators. The transponders work without external galvanic contact and without a battery. Instead, power and data are transmitted via a wireless link to the transponder. A transmission protocol has been developed and a prototype chip has been fabricated. The chip is a multichannel stimulator generating charge-balance current pulses for the stimulation of nerves.
The chip works according to specifications and is capable of generating charge balanced pulses for the stimulation of nerves. In 1999 also activities concerning the sensing of signals from nerves have been initiated through a Ph.D. project. Initial work has been focused on low noise preamplifiers in CMOS technology, and in 2000 the first experimental devices were designed.
The project is a part of Center for Biomedical Engineering, headed by Aalborg University.