Abstract: Polymer materials are useful as electrode array bodies for neural stimulation. They are particularly useful for retinal stimulation to create artificial vision, cochlear stimulation to create artificial hearing, or cortical stimulation many purposes. The pressure applied against the retina, or other neural tissue, by an electrode array is critical. Too little pressure causes increased electrical resistance, along with electric field dispersion. Too much pressure may block blood flow. Common flexible circuit fabrication techniques generally require that a flexible circuit electrode array be made flat. Since neural tissue is almost never flat, a flat array will necessarily apply uneven pressure. Further, the edges of a flexible circuit polymer array may be sharp and cut the delicate neural tissue. By applying the right amount of heat to a completed array, a curve can be induced.

Abstract: Polymer materials are useful as electrode array bodies for neural stimulation. They are particularly useful for retinal stimulation to create artificial vision, cochlear stimulation to create artificial hearing, or cortical stimulation many purposes. The pressure applied against the retina, or other neural tissue, by an electrode array is critical. Too little pressure causes increased electrical resistance, along with electric field dispersion. Too much pressure may block blood flow. Common flexible circuit fabrication techniques generally require that a flexible circuit electrode array be made flat. Since neural tissue is almost never flat, a flat array will necessarily apply uneven pressure. Further, the edges of a flexible circuit polymer array may be sharp and cut the delicate neural tissue. By applying the right amount of heat to a completed array, a curve can be induced.

Abstract: A system and method that facilitates stimulating neural pathways, e.g., muscles and/or associated nerves, of a patient's body for the purpose of therapeutic medical treatment by rehabilitating weakened muscles and using neuroplasticity to retrain sequential muscle movements and/or to provide the ability to directly deliver functional motor movements. Use of the present invention is of particular value for treating a patient following a stroke. More particularly, such systems are characterized by a plurality of discrete devices, preferably battery powered but may alternatively include RF-powered devices as well or in combination, configured for implanting within a patient's body via injection, each device being configured to affect a parameter, e.g., via nerve and/or muscle stimulation and/or to sense a body parameter, e.g., temperature, O2 content, physical position, electrical potential, etc.