A wireless and battery-less implant for multimodal closed-loop neuromodulation in small animals

Wei Ouyang, Wei Lu, Yamin Zhang, Yiming Liu, Jong Uk Kim, Haixu Shen, Yunyun Wu, Haiwen Luan, Keith Kilner, Stephen P. Lee, Yinsheng Lu, Yiyuan Yang, Jin Wang, Yongjoon Yu, Amy J. Wegener, Justin A. Moreno, Zhaoqian Xie, Yixin Wu, Sang Min Won, Kyeongha KwonChangsheng Wu, Wubin Bai, Hexia Guo, Tzu li Liu, Hedan Bai, Giuditta Monti, Jason Zhu, Surabhi R. Madhvapathy, Jacob Trueb, Maria Stanslaski, Elizabeth M. Higbee-Dempsey, Iwona Stepien, Nayereh Ghoreishi-Haack, Chad R. Haney, Tae il Kim, Yonggang Huang, Roozbeh Ghaffari, Anthony R. Banks, Thomas C. Jhou*, Cameron H. Good*, John A. Rogers*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

43 Scopus citations

Abstract

Fully implantable wireless systems for the recording and modulation of neural circuits that do not require physical tethers or batteries allow for studies that demand the use of unconstrained and freely behaving animals in isolation or in social groups. Moreover, feedback-control algorithms that can be executed within such devices without the need for remote computing eliminate virtual tethers and any associated latencies. Here we report a wireless and battery-less technology of this type, implanted subdermally along the back of freely moving small animals, for the autonomous recording of electroencephalograms, electromyograms and body temperature, and for closed-loop neuromodulation via optogenetics and pharmacology. The device incorporates a system-on-a-chip with Bluetooth Low Energy for data transmission and a compressed deep-learning module for autonomous operation, that offers neurorecording capabilities matching those of gold-standard wired systems. We also show the use of the implant in studies of sleep–wake regulation and for the programmable closed-loop pharmacological suppression of epileptic seizures via feedback from electroencephalography. The technology can support a broader range of applications in neuroscience and in biomedical research with small animals.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1252-1269
Number of pages18
JournalNature Biomedical Engineering
Volume7
Issue number10
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 2023

Funding

We acknowledge financial support from the Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics at Northwestern University and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke of the National Institutes of Health (grant number R44NS107142). This work made use of the NUFAB facility of Northwestern University’s NUANCE Center, which has received support from the Soft and Hybrid Nanotechnology Experimental Resource (grant number NSF ECCS1542205), the Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (grant number DMR1720139), the State of Illinois and Northwestern University. We acknowledge surgical and imaging work performed by the Developmental Therapeutics Core and the Center for Advanced Molecular Imaging at Northwestern University, which have received support from the Robert H Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center (grant number NCI CCSG 773 P30 CA060553). From the US Army MRICD, we thank J. Abraham for his graphics assistance. C.H.G. was supported by the LUCI programme sponsored by the OASD R&E. K. Kwon acknowledges support by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (Ministry of Science, ICT & Future Planning (MSIP); No. 2021R1F1A106387111, No. 2022R1C1C1010555, No. 2020R1A5A8018367 and BK21). We acknowledge financial support from the Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics at Northwestern University and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke of the National Institutes of Health (grant number R44NS107142). This work made use of the NUFAB facility of Northwestern University’s NUANCE Center, which has received support from the Soft and Hybrid Nanotechnology Experimental Resource (grant number NSF ECCS­1542205), the Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (grant number DMR­1720139), the State of Illinois and Northwestern University. We acknowledge surgical and imaging work performed by the Developmental Therapeutics Core and the Center for Advanced Molecular Imaging at Northwestern University, which have received support from the Robert H Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center (grant number NCI CCSG 773 P30 CA060553). From the US Army MRICD, we thank J. Abraham for his graphics assistance. C.H.G. was supported by the LUCI programme sponsored by the OASD R&E. K. Kwon acknowledges support by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (Ministry of Science, ICT & Future Planning (MSIP); No. 2021R1F1A106387111, No. 2022R1C1C1010555, No. 2020R1A5A8018367 and BK21).

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biotechnology
  • Bioengineering
  • Medicine (miscellaneous)
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Computer Science Applications

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