Novel Wireless Brain Sensor Unveiled: Wireless, Broadband, Rechargeable, Fully Implantable

A team of neuro-engineers based at Brown University has developed a fully implantable and rechargeable wireless brain sensor capable of relaying real-time broadband signals from up to 100 neurons in freely moving subjects. Several copies of the novel low-power device, have been performing well in animal models for more than year, a first in the brain-computer interface field. Brain-computer interfaces could help people with severe paralysis control devices with their thoughts.

Arto Nurmikko, professor of engineering at Brown University who oversaw the device's invention, is presenting it this week at the 2013 International Workshop on Clinical Brain-Machine Interface Systems in Houston.

According to him "This has features that are somewhat akin to a cell phone, except the conversation that is being sent out is the brain talking wirelessly".

Engineers Arto Nurmikko and Ming Yin examine their prototype wireless, broadband neural sensing device. (Credit: Fred Field for Brown University)

Neuro-scientists can use such a device to observe, record, and analyze the signals emitted by scores of neurons in particular parts of the animal model's brain.

Meanwhile, wired systems using similar implantable sensing electrodes are being investigated in brain-computer interface research to assess the feasibility of people with severe paralysis moving assistive devices like robotic arms or computer cursors by thinking about moving their arms and hands.

This wireless system addresses a major need for the next step in providing a practical brain-computer interface.