• JSTS:Journal of Semiconductor Technology and Science
• /
• v.14 no.5
• /
• pp.658-665
• /
• 2014

The neural stimulators have been employed to the visual prostheses system based on the functional electrical stimulation (FES). Due to the size limitation of the implantable device, the smaller area of the unit current driver pixel is highly desired for higher resolution current stimulation system. This paper presents a 16-channel compact current-mode neural stimulator IC with digital to analog converter (DAC) sharing scheme for artificial retinal prostheses. The individual pixel circuits in the stimulator IC share a single 6 bit DAC using the sample-and-hold scheme. The DAC sharing scheme enables the simultaneous stimulation on multiple active pixels with a single DAC while maintaining small size and low power. The layout size of the stimulator circuit with the DAC sharing scheme is reduced to be 51.98 %, compared to the conventional scheme. The stimulator IC is designed using standard $0.18{\mu}m$ 1P6M process. The chip size except the I/O cells is $437{\mu}m{\times}501{\mu}m$.

• International Journal of Control, Automation, and Systems
• /
• v.3 no.2
• /
• pp.152-158
• /
• 2005

Commercial lower limb prostheses or orthotics help patients achieve a normal life. However, patients who use such aids need prolonged training to achieve a normal gait, and their fatigability increases. To improve patient comfort, this study proposed a method of predicting gait angle using neural networks and EMG signals. Experimental results using our method show that the absolute average error of the estimated gait angles is $0.25^{\circ}$. This performance data used reference input from a controller for the lower limb orthotic or prosthesis controllers while the patients were walking.

• International Journal of Precision Engineering and Manufacturing
• /
• v.6 no.3
• /
• pp.37-44
• /
• 2005

Gait control capacity for most trans-femoral prostheses is significantly different from that of a normal person, and training is required for a long period of time in order for a patient to walk properly. People become easily tired when wearing a prosthesis or orthosis for a long period typically because the gait angle cannot be smoothly adjusted during wearing. Therefore, to improve the gait control problems of a trans-femoral prosthesis, the proper gait angle is estimated through surface EMG(electromyogram) signals on a normal leg, then the gait posture which the trans-femoral prosthesis should take is calculated in the neural network, which learns the gait kinetics on the basis of the normal leg's gait angle. Based on this predicted angle, a postural control method is proposed and tested adaptively following the patient's gait habit based on the predicted angle. In this study, the gait angle prediction showed accuracy of over $97\%$, and the posture control capacity of over $90\%$.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.57 no.3
• /
• pp.152-158
• /
• 2015

Objective : The purpose of this study to develop new deep-brain stimulation system for long-term use in animals, in order to develop a variety of neural prostheses. Methods : Our system has two distinguished features, which are the fully implanted system having wearable wireless power transfer and ability to change the parameter of stimulus parameter. It is useful for obtaining a variety of data from a long-term experiment. Results : To validate our system, we performed pre-clinical test in Parkinson's disease-rat models for 4 weeks. Through the in vivo test, we observed the possibility of not only long-term implantation and stability, but also free movement of animals. We confirmed that the electrical stimulation neither caused any side effect nor damaged the electrodes. Conclusion : We proved possibility of our system to conduct the long-term pre-clinical test in variety of parameter, which is available for development of neural prostheses.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
• /
• v.30 no.2
• /
• pp.103-112
• /
• 2009

Neuron-on-a-Chip technology is based on advanced neuronal culture technique, surface micropatterning, microelectrode array technology, and multi-dimensional data analysis techniques. The combination of these techniques allowed us to design and analyze live biological neural networks in vitro using real neurons. In this review article, two underlying technologies are reviewed: Microelectrode array technology and Neuronal patterning technology. There are new opportunities in the fusion of these technologies to apply them in neurobiology, neuroscience, neural prostheses, and cell-based biosensor areas.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
• /
• v.4 no.S2
• /
• pp.156-162
• /
• 1995

For a stimulating neural electrode, the charge density should be as large as possible to provide adequate stimulation of the nervous system while allowing for miniaturization of the electrode. Since iridium oxide is able to produce high charge densities while preventing undesirable reactions due to charge storage, it has become a promising material for neural prostheses. Successful production of stable Ir and Ir oxide films on various substrates now limits the use of this material. Ir was deposited on two differently prepared surface of (mirror finish, passivation) surgical Ti-6AI-4V with several methods. Ion beam mixing of sputter deposited Ir films on passivated Ti-6AI-4V produced stable and good adherent Ir films. It was found that the increase in charge density of pure Ir on continuous cyclingis due to the accumulation of the oxide phase ( associated with a large surface area) in which the valence state of iridium changes and the double-layer capacitance increases. This study also showed that the double layer capacitance is equally or even more responsible for the high charge density of anodically formed Ir oxide.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
• /
• v.26 no.8
• /
• pp.132-141
• /
• 2009

In this paper, we describe finger force estimation from surface electromyogram (sEMG) data for intuitive and delicate force control of robotic devices such as exoskeletons and robotic prostheses. Four myoelectric sites on the skin were found to offer favorable sEMG recording conditions. An artificial neural network (ANN) was implemented to map the sEMG to the force, and its structure was optimized to avoid both under- and over-fitting problems. The resulting network was tested using recorded sEMG signals from the selected myoelectric sites of three subjects in real-time. In addition, we discussed performance of force estimation results related to the length of the muscles. This work may prove useful in relaying natural and delicate commands to artificial devices that may be attached to the human body or deployed remotely.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
• /
• v.30 no.3
• /
• pp.199-204
• /
• 2009

Iridium oxide films (IROFs) have been extensively studied as a material for electrical stimulation of neurons, as iridium oxide has higher charge storage capacity than other metal films. More recently, sputtered iridium oxide film (SIROF) has been studied, because it can be made more conveniently than activated iridium oxide film (AIROF). Typically, the SIROFs are grown at temperatures from 400 to 600 $^{\circ}C$. However, such high temperatures cannot be used when the iridium oxide (IrOx) film is to be deposited on a flexible polymer material, such as polyimide. In this paper, we show that we can still obtain excellent characteristics in SIROFs grown without heating (cold SIROF), by optimizing the growth conditions. We show that the oxygen flow rate is a critical parameter for controlling the surface properties of a cold SIROF. At an oxygen flow rate of 12 seem, the cold SIROF exhibited a charge storage capacity (CSC) of 60 mC/cm$^2$, which is comparable to or better than other published values for iridium oxide films including heated SIROFs. The film produced under these conditions also had the minimum impedance value of all cold SIROFs deposited for this study. A stability test and biocompatibility test also demonstrated the superiority of the optimized cold SIROF.

• International Journal of Computer Science & Network Security
• /
• v.22 no.7
• /
• pp.359-365
• /
• 2022

Scholars are paying increasingly close attention to brain research and the creation of biological neural networks, artificial neural networks, artificial intelligence, neurochips, brain-computer interfaces, prostheses, new research instruments and methods, methods of treatment, as well as the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases based on these data. The authors of the study propose their hypothesis on the understanding of the phenomenon of consciousness that answers questions concerning the criteria of consciousness, its localization, and principles of operation. In the study of the hard problem of consciousness, the philosophical and scientific categories of consciousness, and prominent hypotheses and theories of consciousness, the authors distinguish "the area of the conscious mind", which encompasses several states of consciousness united by the phenomenon of integrated consciousness. According to the authors, consciousness is a kind of executor of the phenomenological idea of the "chalice", so the search for it should be conducted deeper than the processes in the power of thought consciousness and transconsciousness, to which integrated consciousness can act as a lever. However, integrated consciousness may have the capacity to transcend into lower states of consciousness, which requires further study.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
• /
• v.25 no.6
• /
• pp.611-615
• /
• 2004

A neural prostheses can be designed to permit stimulation of specific sites in the nervous system to restore their functions, lost due to disease or trauma. This study focuses on the feasibility of optoelecronic stimulation into nervous system. Optoelectronic stimulation supplies, power and signal into the implanted optical detector inside the body by optics. It can be effective strategy especially on the retinal prosthesis, because it enables the non-invasive connection between the external source and internal detector through natural optical window 'eye'. Therefore, we designed an effective neural stimulating setup by optically based stimulation. Stimulating on the sciatic nerve of a rat with proper depth probe through optical stimulation needs higher ratio of current spreading through the neural surface, because of high impedance of neural interface. To increase the insertion current spreading into the neuron, we used a parallel low resistance compared to load resistance organic interface and calculated the optimized outer parallel resistance for maximum insertion current with the assumption of limited current by photodiode. Optimized outer parallel resistance was at a range of 500Ω-700Ω and a current was at a level between 580uA and 650uA. Stimulating current efficiency from initial photodiode induced current was between 47.5 and 59.7%. Various amplitude and frequency of the optical stimulation on the sciatic nerve showed the reliable visual tremble, and the action potential was also recorded near the stimulating area. These result demonstrate that optoelectronic stimulation with no bias can be applied to the retinal prosthesis and other neuroprosthetic area.