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Power and signal transmission protocol for a contactless subdural spinal cord stimulation device

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Abstract

Wireless signal transmission will play a critical role in developing reliable subdural spinal cord stimulation systems. We have developed an approach to inductively coupling signals across the epidural spacing between the pial and epidural surfaces. The major design constraints include tolerance of coil misalignments from spinal cord geometries in addition to reasonable power efficiencies within the expected range of movement. The design of the primary side as a driving circuit is simplified by several turns of commercial magnetic wire, whereas the implanted secondary side is implemented in a micro-planar spiral coil tuned to a resonant frequency of 1.6 MHz. We present the results of wireless inductive coupling experiments that demonstrate the ability to transmit and receive a frequency modulated 1.6 MHz carrier signal between primary and secondary coil antennae scaled to 10 mm. Power delivery is in the range of 400 mW at a link efficiency of 32 % for strong coupling (coil separations of 0.5 mm ) and in the range of 70 mW at 4 % efficiency for weak coupling (coil separations of 10 mm).

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Author notes

  1. Marcel Utz

    Present address: School of Chemistry, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22904, USA

    Suk-Heung Song, George T. Gillies & Marcel Utz

  2. Department of Neurosurgery, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA

    Matthew A. Howard III

  3. Evergreen Medical Technologies LLC, St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA

    Brian Kuhnley

Authors
  1. Suk-Heung Song
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  2. George T. Gillies
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  3. Matthew A. Howard III
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  4. Brian Kuhnley
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  5. Marcel Utz
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Correspondence to Marcel Utz.

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Song, SH., Gillies, G.T., Howard, M.A. et al. Power and signal transmission protocol for a contactless subdural spinal cord stimulation device. Biomed Microdevices 15, 27–36 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10544-012-9684-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10544-012-9684-1

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