Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 11, 2026
08:42
The DREAM Implant: A Lightweight, Modular, and Cost-Effective Implant System for Chronic Electrophysiology in Head-Fixed and Freely Behaving Mice
Published on: July 26, 2024
A fully implantable stimulator for use in small laboratory animals
Rodney E Millard1, Robert K Shepherd
1Department of Otolaryngology, University of Melbourne, East Melbourne, Victoria 3002, Australia. RodneyEM@unimelb.edu.au
Journal of Neuroscience Methods
|September 28, 2007
Summary
Researchers developed a low-cost, implantable neural stimulator for chronic use in animals. This battery-free device delivers precise electrical pulses for neuroscience research, including cochlear implants.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Biomedical Engineering
- Medical Devices
Background:
- Chronic neural stimulation is crucial for understanding neural function and developing therapeutic devices.
- Existing systems often require batteries or external connections, limiting long-term use and animal mobility.
- A need exists for a low-cost, fully implantable, and wirelessly powered stimulator for research applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the design and manufacturing of a novel, low-cost, fully implantable, single-channel neural stimulator.
- To demonstrate its capability for delivering charge-balanced, biphasic current pulses for chronic neural tissue stimulation.
- To highlight its potential applications in neuroscience research, including cochlear implants.
Main Methods:
- A magnetically coupled, battery-free implantable stimulator was designed and manufactured in a research laboratory.
- The system uses external coils to induce current in the implant, regulating biphasic pulses with adjustable parameters (amplitude, phase duration, rate).
- Charge balance is maintained via capacitive coupling and electrode shorting between pulses, enabling safe, chronic stimulation.
Main Results:
- The stimulator successfully generated charge-balanced biphasic current pulses with amplitudes up to 500 microA and adjustable phase durations (25-250 micros).
- Wireless magnetic coupling eliminated the need for batteries and external leadwires, allowing for chronic implantation in freely moving animals.
- The device demonstrated precise temporal control suitable for behavioral experiments and generating electrically evoked potentials.
Conclusions:
- A cost-effective, fully implantable neural stimulator suitable for laboratory manufacturing has been developed.
- This device offers a versatile platform for chronic, safe, and precise electrical stimulation of neural tissue in research settings.
- Potential applications span various neuroscience fields, particularly in developing neural prosthetics like cochlear implants.