How-to Interface with Neural Dust
I watched a video on how to get a signal from neural dust. They used a external transducer for test and measurements what type of transducer would I use
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To interface with neural dust or to measure signals from it, you would typically use a suitable transducer that can convert the signals generated by the neural dust into measurable electrical signals. The specific type of transducer you would use may depend on the nature of the signals and the application. Some common transducers for neural signal measurement include:
Electrodes: Microelectrode arrays or single electrodes can be used to record electrical signals such as neural action potentials (spikes) or local field potentials (LFPs).
Piezoelectric Transducers: These can convert mechanical signals or vibrations into electrical signals. In some cases, neural dust may produce mechanical vibrations that can be detected using piezoelectric transducers.
Optical Sensors: For certain applications, optical sensors like photodiodes or fiber optics can be used to detect changes in light intensity, which may be modulated by the neural dust.
Acoustic Transducers: If neural dust generates acoustic signals, microphones or other acoustic transducers can be used to capture those signals.
Magnetoresistive Sensors: These sensors can detect changes in magnetic fields and may be used if neural dust produces magnetic signals.
The choice of transducer depends on the specific characteristics of the neural dust signals you are trying to measure. It’s important to tailor the transducer to the particular properties of the application to ensure accurate signal capture. Additionally, signal conditioning and amplification may be necessary to process and analyze the signals effectively.
User
Here is the text from the video “The emerging field of bioelectronic medicine provides an exciting new alternative to treat
neurological disorders.
In this paper, we propose neural dust, which uses ultrasound to power and communicate with
miniature sensors implanted inside the body.
The sensor consists of a piezo electric transducer for harvesting ultrasonic energy, a custom
ASIC for communication, and recording electrodes on the backside of the implant.
The implants are encapsulated in a medical grade epoxy to provide insulation.
Test leads can be used to measure the voltage across the transducer and the signals from
the recording electrodes.
Before being implanted in an animal, each fabricated neural dust implant or moat is tested on
a bench top setup.
The moat is mounted on the acrylic stage and the transducer and the moat are fully aligned.
In order to confirm backscatter communication, artificial neural signatures can be introduced
into a water tank and changes in backscatter amplitude should be apparent.
The entire in vivo measurement can be done on a tabletop.
Adult male long ebbins rats are used in all experiments and are anesthetized.
The neural dust moat is placed either on the muscle for EMG recording or placed in contact
and sutured to the epinereum of the main branch of the sciatic nerve.
Once implanted, the wound is sutured closed, leaving the test leads exposed to validate
wireless recordings.
Commercial ultrasound gel is used to enhance coupling and the external transducer is aligned
to produce the largest return signal at the time delay corresponding to the transducer’s
focal distance.
Once the transducer and the moat are aligned, the test leads are removed to initiate wireless
operation.
Single biphasic stimulation pulses near the implant site are used to evoke neural activity
in the anesthetized preparation.
The custom transceiver module launches a series of transmit pulse trains and then waits to
receive the backscatter.
Received backscatters are amplified, filtered, rectified, and the computed L1 norm produce
the reconstructed waveform.
The reconstructed waveform is sampled at the frequency of the launched ultrasonic pulse
train.
Current neural dust measures millimeters on the side, but we are working to deliver
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a suite of submillimeter scale neural dust modes capable of recording chronically from
the nervous system.
“
ChatGPT
The text you provided describes the concept of “neural dust” and the experimental setup for testing it. Neural dust is a technology that uses ultrasound for both powering and communicating with miniature sensors implanted inside the body. Here are some key points from the text:
Components of Neural Dust: The neural dust sensor consists of a piezoelectric transducer for harvesting ultrasonic energy, a custom Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) for communication, and recording electrodes on the backside of the implant. These components are encapsulated in medical-grade epoxy for insulation.
Testing on Bench Top Setup: Before implantation, each neural dust implant is tested on a benchtop setup. This setup includes aligning the transducer and the implant and introducing artificial neural signatures into a water tank to confirm backscatter communication.
In Vivo Experiments: In vivo experiments are conducted on adult male Long-Evans rats. The neural dust moat is placed either on muscle for EMG (Electromyography) recording or in contact and sutured to the epineurium of the sciatic nerve branch. Test leads are left exposed to validate wireless recordings.
Ultrasound Gel and Transducer Alignment: Commercial ultrasound gel is used to enhance coupling between the external transducer and the implanted neural dust. The alignment of the transducer is optimized to produce the largest return signal.
Wireless Operation: Once aligned, the test leads are removed to initiate wireless operation. Stimulation pulses are used to evoke neural activity near the implant site.
Data Processing: A custom transceiver module launches transmit pulse trains and receives backscatter. The received backscatters are processed by amplification, filtering, rectification, and computation of the L1 norm to produce the reconstructed waveform.
Miniaturization: The text mentions that current neural dust measures millimeters on the side, but efforts are underway to develop submillimeter-scale neural dust models capable of chronic recording from the nervous system.
This technology represents an innovative approach to monitoring and interacting with neural activity for potential applications in bioelectronic medicine.
User
Which type of transducer would I use
ChatGPT
Based on the information provided in the text about neural dust, the type of transducer used for powering and communicating with the neural dust sensors is a “piezoelectric transducer.” This type of transducer is specifically designed to harvest ultrasonic energy, which is used to power the miniature sensors and communicate with them. Piezoelectric materials can generate electrical voltage when mechanical stress or vibrations, in this case, ultrasonic waves, are applied to them. This makes them suitable for the intended purpose of powering and communicating with the neural dust implants.
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what else would I need to do the measurements how to I interface with the sensor and is there is a specific type of piezoelectric transducer? what application would I use to see the measurements
ChatGPT
To perform measurements with the neural dust sensors, you would need additional equipment and setup beyond just the piezoelectric transducer. Here’s what you would typically require:
Piezoelectric Transducer: As mentioned earlier, you would need a suitable piezoelectric transducer that is designed to work with the ultrasonic frequencies used for powering and communicating with the neural dust implants. The specific type of transducer may depend on the design of the neural dust system, but it would typically be chosen for its sensitivity to ultrasonic waves.
Custom ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit): The neural dust implants are mentioned to have a custom ASIC for communication. This ASIC is a crucial component for interfacing with the sensor. It likely includes the necessary electronics for signal processing, encoding, and decoding the communication with the neural dust implants.
Recording and Measurement Equipment: To capture and measure the data from the neural dust sensors, you would need recording and measurement equipment. This may include oscilloscopes, data acquisition systems, or specialized equipment designed for this specific application.
Amplification and Signal Processing: The received backscatters from the neural dust implants would need to be amplified, filtered, and processed to extract meaningful information. Signal processing equipment and software may be required for this purpose.
Transceiver Module: The custom transceiver module mentioned in the text is responsible for launching transmit pulse trains and receiving backscatter. This module is a critical component for communication with the neural dust implants.
Software Interface: Depending on the setup, you may need software to interface with the measurement equipment and process the data collected from the neural dust implants. This software can be used to visualize and analyze the measurements.
Power Supply: You would need a power supply to provide the necessary electrical power for the measurement equipment and the neural dust system.
Regarding the specific type of piezoelectric transducer, it would be designed to work with the ultrasonic frequencies and energy levels used in the neural dust system. The choice of the transducer would likely depend on the exact design and requirements of your neural dust application, and it would be part of the custom hardware used for the project.
The application used to view and analyze the measurements would depend on the data format and output of your custom system. Commonly used software for data analysis and visualization include MATLAB, LabVIEW, Python with scientific libraries (NumPy, SciPy, Matplotlib), and specialized software developed for the particular application.
It’s important to note that working with neural dust or similar advanced bioelectronic systems typically requires specialized expertise in areas such as biomedical engineering, electronics, signal processing, and data analysis. Collaborating with experts in these fields may be essential for successful experimentation and measurement.
User
so in the video the asic was on the neural dust it looked like they just used a oscilloscope and a external transducer to get the measurements
ChatGPT
If the ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit) is integrated into the neural dust implant itself and you are using an oscilloscope along with an external transducer for measurements, here’s how the setup might work:
Neural Dust Implant: The neural dust implant contains the piezoelectric transducer for harvesting ultrasonic energy, the custom ASIC for communication, and recording electrodes on the backside of the implant.
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Oscilloscope: The oscilloscope is used to measure and visualize the electrical signals produced by the neural dust implant. The oscilloscope allows you to observe the voltage or waveform generated by the neural dust implant in real-time.
External Transducer: The external transducer is used to deliver ultrasonic energy to the neural dust implant and to receive backscattered signals from the implant. This transducer likely interfaces with the oscilloscope or other measurement equipment.
Here’s a simplified outline of the process:
The external transducer emits ultrasonic waves towards the neural dust implant.
The neural dust implant converts the ultrasonic energy into electrical signals using the piezoelectric transducer.
The custom ASIC on the neural dust implant may modulate these electrical signals to encode data or information.
The oscilloscope is used to capture and display the electrical signals generated by the neural dust implant in response to the ultrasonic energy. You can observe the waveform and, if applicable, any encoded data.
Depending on the nature of the experiment and the signals you are trying to measure, you can analyze and interpret the oscilloscope measurements to understand the neural activity or data transmitted by the neural dust implant.
In this setup, the oscilloscope is serving as a basic measurement tool for capturing the signals generated by the neural dust implant. The external transducer is responsible for delivering energy and potentially receiving backscattered signals for measurements.
The specific type of piezoelectric transducer used in this setup would be chosen based on the ultrasonic frequencies and energy levels used in the neural dust system.