Wearable, battery-powered, wireless, programmable 8-channel neural stimulator

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Neuroscience
• Wearable Technology

Background:

• Neural stimulation is crucial for understanding brain function and developing therapeutic interventions.
• Existing systems often face limitations in terms of size, power consumption, programmability, and cost.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel wearable, battery-powered, low-power, low-size, and cost-efficient neural stimulator.
• To demonstrate the system's capability for wireless programming and multi-channel biphasic stimulation.

Main Methods:

• Development of a wearable stimulator module and an external controller using off-the-shelf components.
• Implementation of wireless communication for programming the wearable module.
• Design for independent biphasic stimulation on 8 channels with programmable parameters.
• Evaluation of power consumption in power-down and active modes.

Main Results:

• The wearable neural stimulator weighs 60 g and measures 9 cm × 5 cm × 2 cm.
• The system supports 8-channel independent biphasic stimulations with programmable amplitudes and timings.
• Power consumption is approximately 1.5 mW in power-down mode and 51.2 mW in active mode (8 channels).
• Successful in-vivo demonstration of motor cortex stimulation in an anesthetized rat.

Conclusions:

• The developed neural stimulator is a compact, energy-efficient, and versatile platform for neural research.
• Its wireless programmability and multi-channel capabilities offer significant advantages for in-vivo applications.
• This cost-efficient system facilitates advanced neural stimulation studies and potential therapeutic development.