Abstract: This disclosure relates to using stereo-thermo-lesioning (STL) to create lesions at one or more locations in the patient's nervous system at the patient's bedside without general anesthesia. A method that uses STL to treat a patient's neurological condition includes: using a plurality of stereotactically-implanted thermo-coupled multi-contact electrodes to record conduction data within a predetermined theoretical zone of activity within the patient's neurological tissue; detecting abnormal neurological activity of a neurological condition within the conduction data and localize a portion of the predetermined theoretical zone of activity that is responsible for a primary organization of the abnormal neurological activity; creating a lesion at the portion of the predetermined theoretical zone of activity that is responsible for a primary organization of the abnormal neurological activity using at least one contact of the plurality of thermo-coupled multi-contact electrodes.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to forming a lesion in a patient's neurological tissue without requiring general anesthesia. The lesion can be either temporary or permanent. In either case, the lesion can be created by a steerable probe that includes a steerable guide, a laser device, and at least one electrode. The steerable guide steers the probe to a target location in the subject's neurological tissue. When the probe reaches the target location, the laser can create the lesion. The at least one electrode can detect a progressive vanishing of neural activity from the portion of the neurological tissue due to the lesion.

Abstract: One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a stereotactic guide assembly comprising an implantable body and a fastener. The implantable body can have an interior chamber and a first passageway that extends through the implantable body into communication with the interior chamber. At least a portion of the interior chamber can be defined by a first coupling feature. The fastener can be configured to fit in the interior chamber. The fastener can have a second passageway extending therethrough, and a second coupling feature adapted to releasably engage the first coupling feature.

Abstract: One aspect of the present disclosure relates a system that can employ micromagnetic stimulation to activate or suppress one or more areas of the central nervous system. A portion of the central nervous system can be exposed. A probe can be configured to be located in proximity to the exposed portion of the nervous system. A microcoil (of a size less than or equal to 10 millimeters) can be coupled to the probe and configured to activate or suppress the portion of the central nervous system via electromagnetic induction.

Abstract: One aspect of the present disclosure relates a system that can employ micromagnetic stimulation to activate and/or suppress conduction in at least a portion of a peripheral nerve. The system can include a stimulator to provide a time-varying stimulus. The system can also include a microcoil that can be operatively coupled to the stimulator to receive the time-varying stimulus. Based on the time-varying stimulus, the microcoil can provide an electromagnetic induction to the peripheral nerve to activate and/or suppress conduction.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to forming a lesion in a patient's neurological tissue without requiring general anesthesia. The lesion can be either temporary or permanent. In either case, the lesion can be created by a steerable probe that includes a steerable guide, a laser device, and at least one electrode. The steerable guide steers the probe to a target location in the subject's neurological tissue. When the probe reaches the target location, the laser can create the lesion. The at least one electrode can detect a progressive vanishing of neural activity from the portion of the neurological tissue due to the lesion.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to implanting intracranial devices (e.g., electrodes, catheters, biopsy probes, etc.) independently (not in parallel) into a patient's brain. A single entry point can be opened in a patient's head. At least two intracranial devices can be inserted through the entry point. The at least two intracranial devices can be implanted to at least two different locations in the patient's brain through the same entry point.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to using stereo-thermo-lesioning (STL) to create lesions at one or more locations in the patient's nervous system at the patient's bedside without general anesthesia. A method that uses STL to treat a patient's neurological condition includes: using a plurality of stereotactically-implanted thermo-coupled multi-contact electrodes to record conduction data within a predetermined theoretical zone of activity within the patient's neurological tissue; detecting abnormal neurological activity of a neurological condition within the conduction data and localize a portion of the predetermined theoretical zone of activity that is responsible for a primary organization of the abnormal neurological activity; creating a lesion at the portion of the predetermined theoretical zone of activity that is responsible for a primary organization of the abnormal neurological activity using at least one contact of the plurality of thermo-coupled multi-contact electrodes.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to automating the task of assignment of labels to identify electrical elements (e.g., electrode contacts, electrodes including a plurality of electrode contacts, and/or non-addressable electrical elements, like wires). A system that can automate the task of assignment of labels can include an electrical element, a microelectronic circuit associated with the electrical element, and an acquisition system. The microelectronic circuit can transmit a sequence comprising a label corresponding to the electrical element. The acquisition system can assign the label corresponding to the electrical element to a recording channel after decoding the sequence.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to automating the task of assignment of labels to identify electrical elements (e.g., electrode contacts, electrodes including a plurality of electrode contacts, and/or non-addressable electrical elements, like wires). A system that can automate the task of assignment of labels can include an electrical element, a microelectronic circuit associated with the electrical element, and an acquisition system. The microelectronic circuit can transmit a sequence comprising a label corresponding to the electrical element. The acquisition system can assign the label corresponding to the electrical element to a recording channel after decoding the sequence.

Abstract: A method of identifying an epileptogenic zone of a brain includes receiving a plurality of electrical signals from a plurality of surgically implanted electrodes, calculating components of an adjacency matrix, calculating eigenvectors from the adjacency matrix, and selecting an eigenvector having a largest eigenvalue. The method includes assigning an integer rank to each component of the eigenvector, sliding the time window by a time increment and repeating the immediately preceding steps a plurality of times. The method includes normalizing each rank signal, extracting a multidimensional feature vector from each normalized signal, projecting each multidimensional feature vector onto a reduced dimensionality space, and receiving a plurality of training data points represented in the reduced dimensionality space.

Abstract: One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a stereotactic guide assembly comprising an implantable body and a fastener. The implantable body can have an interior chamber and a first passageway that extends through the implantable body into communication with the interior chamber. At least a portion of the interior chamber can be defined by a first coupling feature. The fastener can be configured to fit in the interior chamber. The fastener can have a second passageway extending therethrough, and a second coupling feature adapted to releasably engage the first coupling feature.

Abstract: One aspect of the present disclosure relates a system that can employ micromagnetic stimulation to activate and/or suppress conduction in at least a portion of a peripheral nerve. The system can include a stimulator to provide a time-varying stimulus. The system can also include a microcoil that can be operatively coupled to the stimulator to receive the time-varying stimulus. Based on the time-varying stimulus, the microcoil can provide an electromagnetic induction to the peripheral nerve to activate and/or suppress conduction.

Abstract: One aspect of the present disclosure relates a system that can employ micromagnetic stimulation to activate or suppress one or more areas of the central nervous system. A portion of the central nervous system can be exposed. A probe can be configured to be located in proximity to the exposed portion of the nervous system. A microcoil (of a size less than or equal to 10 millimeters) can be coupled to the probe and configured to activate or suppress the portion of the central nervous system via electromagnetic induction.

Abstract: A method for identifying neuronal spikes (extracellular action potentials) is described wherein measured microelectrode readings from tissue are reviewed to identify spikes (successive readings having prolonged rises and/or falls). The frequency of such spikes as a function of their amplitude assumes a bimodal distribution wherein higher amplitude spikes represent neuronal spikes (signal) and lower amplitude spikes represent noise, and thus the higher amplitude spikes can be assumed to be neuronal spikes. Neuronal spikes from the same neuron can then be assumed to have substantially the same waveform shape and period, with the only significant difference between them being the scaling of their amplitudes (i.e., the amplitudes of spikes from the same neuron tend to be proportionate at any given time along their period). Thus, by testing identified neuronal spikes for matching timing and for proportional amplitudes, the neuronal spikes may further be identified as coming from the same or different neurons.

Abstract: A moisture removal assembly designed to be mounted on a brake shoe and pad structure of the rim engaging or caliper type brake assembly comprising a base designed to be removably attached to the brake shoe and a wiper blade structure depending from the base in spaced apart relation from the leading edge of the brake shoe and pad and further being disposed in sliding, wiping engagement with the surface of the rim engaged by the brake pad so as to remove moisture therefrom prior to braking engagement between the wheel rim and brake pad.