A Pilot Study of Neural Stimulation and Motion Intervention via Self-powered Wearable Electronics*

Neural stimulation and motion intervention have applications in the areas of brain-computer interface and rehabilitation engineering. Here an integrated design of wearable electronics, neural implants and motion behavior intervention was presented. This stimulation device was provided by a novel soft electronic device fabricated based on a nanostructure and surface-triboelectric effects. The device was capable of generating electrical pulses suitable for neural stimulation. The generation of neural stimulation pulses was self-powered through deformation of the device surface. The properties of being soft and self-powered enabled an integrated solution of wearable electronics for brain stimulation and motion intervention. The application of the system was demonstrated in mice in vivo. Through the chronic electrode implants in the sensorimotor cortex and self-powered stimulation, the mice could perform motion changes by turning their bodies in different scales. This work provides an innovative approach for developing new wearable design and systems for neural stimulation and motion control.

[1]  Allister F. McGuire,et al.  A skin-inspired organic digital mechanoreceptor , 2015, Science.

[2]  Miguel A. L. Nicolelis,et al.  Brain–machine interfaces to restore motor function and probe neural circuits , 2003, Nature Reviews Neuroscience.

[3]  Peter J. Ifft,et al.  Active tactile exploration using a brain – machine – brain interface , 2011 .

[4]  Xinyu Xue,et al.  A Self‐Powered Brain‐Linked Vision Electronic‐Skin Based on Triboelectric‐Photodetecing Pixel‐Addressable Matrix for Visual‐Image Recognition and Behavior Intervention , 2018 .

[5]  Benjamin C. K. Tee,et al.  Flexible polymer transistors with high pressure sensitivity for application in electronic skin and health monitoring , 2013, Nature Communications.

[6]  Sam Emaminejad,et al.  Fully integrated wearable sensor arrays for multiplexed in situ perspiration analysis , 2016, Nature.

[7]  Alireza Gharabaghi,et al.  Recruitment of Additional Corticospinal Pathways in the Human Brain with State-Dependent Paired Associative Stimulation , 2018, The Journal of Neuroscience.

[8]  Xinyu Xue,et al.  A self-powered brain multi-perception receptor for sensory-substitution application , 2018 .

[9]  Benjamin C. K. Tee,et al.  An electrically and mechanically self-healing composite with pressure- and flexion-sensitive properties for electronic skin applications. , 2012, Nature nanotechnology.

[10]  Zhibin Yu,et al.  User-interactive electronic skin for instantaneous pressure visualization. , 2013, Nature materials.

[11]  Silvestro Micera,et al.  Electronic dura mater for long-term multimodal neural interfaces , 2015, Science.

[12]  G. G. Stokes.  "J." , 1890, The New Yale Book of Quotations.

[13]  Benjamin C. K. Tee,et al.  25th Anniversary Article: The Evolution of Electronic Skin (E‐Skin): A Brief History, Design Considerations, and Recent Progress , 2013, Advanced materials.