Klaus Peter Hoffmann

On the Use of Longitudinal Intrafascicular Peripheral Interfaces for the Control of Cybernetic Hand Prostheses in Amputees

Significant strides have been recently made to develop highly sensorized cybernetic prostheses aimed at restoring sensorimotor limb functions to those who have lost them because of a traumatic event (amputation). In these cases, one of the main goals is to create a bidirectional link between the artificial devices (e.g., robotic hands, arms, or legs) and the nervous system. Several human-machine interfaces (HMIs) are currently used to this aim. Among them, interfaces with the peripheral nervous system and in particular longitudinal intrafascicular electrodes can be a promising solution able to improve the current situation. In this paper, the potentials and limits of the use of this interface to control robotic devices are presented. Specific information is provided on: 1) the neurophysiological bases for the use peripheral nerve interfaces; 2) a comparison of the potentials of the different peripheral neural interfaces; 3) the possibility of extracting and appropriately interpreting the neural code for motor commands and of delivering sensory feedback by stimulating afferent fibers by using longitudinal intrafascicular electrodes; 4) a preliminary comparative analysis of the performance of this approach with the ones of others HMIs; 5) the open issues which have to be addressed for a chronic usability of this approach.

Flexible organic field effect transistors for biomedical microimplants using polyimide and parylene C as substrate and insulator layers

Biomedical micro implants are used as neural prostheses to restore body functions after paraplegia by means of functional electrical stimulation (FES). Polymer electronic technology offers the potential to integrate flexible electronic circuits on microelectrodes in order to overcome the limit of traditional FES systems. This paper describes an approach of flexible organic transistors in order to develop a flexible biomedical micro implant for FES use. Polyimide shows excellent biocompatibility and biostability properties for flexible multi-channel microelectrodes in neural prosthetics application (Stieglitz et al 1997 Sensors Actuators A 60 240–3). Therefore, it was used as a flexible substrate on which polymer transistors have to be integrated. Gold or platinum was sputtered as the gate, drain and source. In this paper polyimide has been investigated as a gate isolator because of its high flexibility and biocompatibility. Polyimide was spin coated and imidized at different temperatures and times. Pentacene (C14H22) was evaporated at UHV and 75 °C substrate temperature as an active layer in an organic field effect transistor (OFET). Plasma activation and self-assembled monolayer surface modification were used to advance the electrical properties of organic transistors. The whole transistor was encapsulated in parylene C that was evaporated at room temperature using a standard Gorham system (Gorham 1966 J. Polym. Sci. A-1 4 3027–39). Investigation of the electrical properties of the OFET using polyimide as the isolator led to promising results.

New technologies in manufacturing of different implantable microelectrodes as an interface to the peripheral nervous system

Implantable microelectrodes represent the direct interface between biological tissue and technical systems. Different designs like cuff, shaft, sieve, and needle electrodes were developed. The results of the different electrodes were compared and discussed. Microfabrication methods enable the design of novel kinds of electrodes including active electronics. Integrated electronic circuitry can reduce the number of connection lines to the electrode and increase the signal quality. This paper presents some examples of production technology and designs of neural prostheses for recording and stimulation

Accurate and representative decoding of the neural drive to muscles in humans with multi‐channel intramuscular thin‐film electrodes

Intramuscular electrodes developed over the past 80 years can record the concurrent activity of only a few motor units active during a muscle contraction. We designed, produced and tested a novel multi‐channel intramuscular wire electrode that allows in vivo concurrent recordings of a substantially greater number of motor units than with conventional methods. The electrode has been extensively tested in deep and superficial human muscles. The performed tests indicate the applicability of the proposed technology in a variety of conditions. The electrode represents an important novel technology that opens new avenues in the study of the neural control of muscles in humans.

Total Mesorectal Excision with Intraoperative Assessment of Internal Anal Sphincter Innervation Provides New Insights into Neurogenic Incontinence

BACKGROUND The aim of this prospective study was to assess internal anal sphincter (IAS) innervation in patients undergoing total mesorectal excision (TME) by intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM). STUDY DESIGN Fourteen patients underwent TME. IONM was carried out through pelvic splanchnic nerve stimulation under continuous electromyography of the IAS. Anorectal function was assessed with the digital rectal examination scoring system and a standardized questionnaire. RESULTS Nine of 11 patients who underwent low anterior resection had positive IONM results, with stimulation-induced increased IAS electromyographic amplitudes (median 0.23 μV (interquartile range [IQR] 0.05, 0.56) vs median 0.89 μV (IQR 0.64, 1.88), p < 0.001) after TME. The patients with the positive IONM results were continent after stoma closure. Of 2 patients with negative IONM results, 1 had fecal incontinence after closure of the defunctioning stoma and received a permanent sigmoidostomy. In the other patient the defunctioning stoma was deemed permanent due to decreased anal sphincter function. In 3 patients who underwent abdominoperineal excision, IONM assessed denervation of the IAS after performance of the abdominal part. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrated that IONM of IAS innervation in rectal cancer patients is feasible and may predict neurogenic fecal incontinence.

Shape Memory Alloy Microactuation of tf-LIFEs: Preliminary Results

In this paper, a new approach aimed at improving the performance of intraneural longitudinal interfaces (tf-LIFEs) with the peripheral nervous system (PNS) is presented. Our goal is to develop a movable interface by embedding microactuators into the flexible tf-LIFEs structure. In this way, the optimal position of the electrical contacts can be searched inside the PNS and lost connections with neural cells could be replaced. For this purpose a thin film of shape memory alloy (tf-SMA) was selected. A multisegmented SMA was realized and embedded between two polyimide thin films in order to simulate the tf-LIFE structure. Thermal evaluation, fabrication procedure, the first characterization and preliminary experimental results of the new movable interface are described in the manuscript. A total controllable stroke of about 10mum was obtained for the presented prototype

An Implantable Microactuated Intrafascicular Electrode for Peripheral Nerves

Important advancements have been recently achieved in the field of neural interfaces to restore lost sensory and motor functions. The aim of this letter was to develop an innovative approach to increase the selectivity and the lifetime of polyimide-based intrafascicular electrodes. The main idea was to obtain a neural interface that is able to restore a good signal quality by improving the electrical connection between the active sites and the surrounding axons. The high flexibility of polyimide-based neural interfaces allows to embed microactuators in the interface core and achieve desired microdisplacements of the active sites. Nearly equiatomic nickel-titanium alloy was selected as a microactuator because of its shape memory effect. A single TiNi thin film was obtained by dc magnetron sputtering, and was segmented into four distinct sectors. This solution allowed the independent actuation of the different active sites (multiactuation). A corrugated profile was impressed to the new actuated intraneural (ACTIN) interface. The active sites were positioned in correspondence to the peaks of the corrugation, thus maximizing the effects of the single actuations. The technological results, the electrical properties, the thermal behavior, and eventually, the actuation performances of the current ACTIN prototype are shown and discussed. The actuation cycle was thermally compatible for biomedical applications. Promising results were obtained from the current ACTIN prototype with an average controlled movement of 7 mum of the peaks.