A Power and Data Link for a Wireless-Implanted Neural Recording System

• Published in: IEEE transactions on biomedical engineering Vol. 59; no. 11; pp. 3255 - 3262
• Main Authors: Rush, Alexander D., Troyk, Philip R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States IEEE 01.11.2012
• Subjects: Adult; Animals; Application specific integrated circuits; biomedical telemetry; brain computer interfaces; Coils; Diagnostic Techniques, Neurological - instrumentation; Electrodes, Implanted; Electronics, Medical - instrumentation; Equipment Design; Frequency shift keying; Humans; implantable biomedical devices; Implants; inductive power transmission; Male; Mathematical model; neural prosthesis; Neurology - instrumentation; Power harmonic filters; Telemetry; Telemetry - instrumentation; Wireless communication; Wireless Technology - instrumentation
• ISSN: 0018-9294; 1558-2531
• DOI: 10.1109/TBME.2012.2214385

A wireless cortical neural recording system with a miniature-implanted package is needed in a variety of neuroscience and biomedical applications. Toward that end, we have developed a transcutaneous two-way communication and power system for wireless neural recording. Wireless powering and forward data transmission (into the body) at 1.25 Mbps is achieved using a frequency-shift keying modulated class E converter. The reverse telemetry (out of the body) carrier frequency is generated using an integer-N phase-locked loop, providing the necessary wideband data link to support simultaneous reverse telemetry from multiple implanted devices on separate channels. Each channel is designed to support reverse telemetry with a data rate in excess of 3 Mbps, which is sufficient for our goal of streaming 16 channels of raw neural data. We plan to incorporate this implantable power and telemetry system in a 1-cm diameter single-site cortical neural recording implant.