Abstract: A neuromodulation device includes a movable arm coupled with a main body. The movable arm is configured to transition between an open configuration and a closed configuration. The movable arm is biased towards the closed configuration. A nerve stimulation chamber is defined at least in part by the movable arm. The nerve stimulation chamber is configured to retain a nerve therein. The device has an open channel through which the nerve travels. The channel is defined at least in part by the movable arm. The size and shape of the chamber and the channel are adjustable by the movement of the arm in response to contact with the nerve. The channel may be continuously axial along a longitudinal axis of the channel when the movable arm is in the closed configuration. The chamber has an electrode.

Abstract: A method stimulates a nerve by providing a device having an arm formed of an elastomeric material. A channel through which the nerve travels is defined at least in part by the arm. The channel has a continuously axial longitudinal axis at rest. A nerve stimulation chamber is defined at least in part by the arm. The nerve stimulation chamber is configured to retain the nerve therein. The device has an electrode in the chamber. The method reduces a dimension of a nerve. The is less than 50% of the diameter of the undeformed nerve. The device is configured to apply less than 6.7 kPa of pressure to the nerve at any given point. The nerve is positioned in the chamber, and the cross-sectional dimension of the stretched nerve is increased. At least 20% of the perimeter of the nerve is maintained in contact with the electrode.

Abstract: A nerve cuff electrode device comprising a cuff body having a smart memory polymer layer with a rigid configuration at room temperature and a softened configuration at about 37° C. The smart memory polymer layer has a trained curved region with a radius of curvature of about 3000 microns or less. A plurality of thin film electrodes located on the smart memory polymer layer. The thin film electrodes include discrete titanium nitride electrode sites that are located in the trained curved region. An exposed surface of each of the discrete titanium nitride electrode sites has a charge injection capacity of about 0.1 mC/cm2 or greater. Methods or manufacturing and using the device are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods of making and applying metallized graphene fibers in bioelectronics applications. For example, platinized graphene fibers may be used as an implantable conductive suture for neural and neuro-muscular interfaces in chronic applications. In some embodiments, an implantable electrode includes a multi-layer graphene-fiber core, an insulative coating surrounding the multi-layer graphene-fiber core, and a metal layer disposed between the multi-layer graphene-fiber core and the insulative coating.

Abstract: A nerve cuff electrode device comprising a cuff body having a smart memory polymer layer with a rigid configuration at room temperature and a softened configuration at about 37° C. The smart memory polymer layer has a trained curved region with a radius of curvature of about 3000 microns or less. A plurality of thin film electrodes located on the smart memory polymer layer. The thin film electrodes include discrete titanium nitride electrode sites that are located in the trained curved region. An exposed surface of each of the discrete titanium nitride electrode sites has a charge injection capacity of about 0.1 mC/cm2 or greater. Methods or manufacturing and using the device are also disclosed.

Abstract: A nerve cuff electrode device comprising a cuff body having a smart memory polymer layer with a rigid configuration at room temperature and a softened configuration at about 37 C. The smart memory polymer layer has a trained curved region with a radius of curvature of about 3000 microns or less. A plurality of thin film electrodes located on the smart memory polymer layer. The thin film electrodes include discrete titanium nitride electrode sites that are located in the trained curved region. An exposed surface of each of the discrete titanium nitride electrode sites has a charge injection capacity of about 0.1 mC/cm2 or greater. Methods or manufacturing and using the device are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods of making and applying metallized graphene fibers in bioelectronics applications. For example, platinized graphene fibers may be used as an implantable conductive suture for neural and neuro-muscular interfaces in chronic applications. In some embodiments, an implantable electrode includes a multi-layer graphene-fiber core, an insulative coating surrounding the multi-layer graphene-fiber core, and a metal layer disposed between the multi-layer graphene-fiber core and the insulative coating.

Abstract: In one aspect, implantable wireless microstimulators are described herein. In some embodiments, a microstimulator described herein includes an energy harvesting circuit configured to receive an input signal and generate an electrical signal based on the received input signal. The microstimulator further comprises a diode rectifier in series with the energy harvesting circuit. The diode rectifier is configured to rectify the electrical signal. The energy harvesting circuit and the diode rectifier can be encapsulated within a biocompatible electrically insulating material. Additionally, in some cases, an electrical interface is exposed through the biocompatible electrically insulating material. A microstimulator described herein can also include a nerve cuff. The nerve cuff can be configured to receive a monophasic neural stimulation pulse through the electrical interface of the micro stimulator.

Abstract: A carbon nanotube (CNT) based electrode and method of making the same is disclosed. The CNT based electrode can have a microelectrode made substantially from a substantially inert metal, a first CNT sheet and a second CNT sheet, wherein the first and second CNT sheets are embedded in a collagen film.

Abstract: A regenerative interface electrode comprising a multilayer or sandwiched stack of dies that are oriented at their distal ends with at least one layer inset such that it forms a groove into which a nerve may be positioned inside the groove. The die layers include electrodes that connect to the nerve, allowing the nerve to be modulated. The electrodes in the die layers are connected to a PCB, which may communicate with a recording device. The distal end of the sandwiched die layers forming the groove is inserted into a nerve tube, into which the nerve is inserted.

Abstract: A nerve cuff electrode device comprising a cuff body having a smart memory polymer layer with a rigid configuration at room temperature and a softened configuration at about 37 C. The smart memory polymer layer has a trained curved region with a radius of curvature of about 3000 microns or less. A plurality of thin film electrodes located on the smart memory polymer layer. The thin film electrodes include discrete titanium nitride electrode sites that are located in the trained curved region. An exposed surface of each of the discrete titanium nitride electrode sites has a charge injection capacity of about 0.1 mC/cm2 or greater. Methods or manufacturing and using the device are also disclosed.

Abstract: In one aspect, implantable wireless microstimulators are described herein. In some embodiments, a microstimulator described herein includes an energy harvesting circuit configured to receive an input signal and generate an electrical signal based on the received input signal. The microstimulator further comprises a diode rectifier in series with the energy harvesting circuit. The diode rectifier is configured to rectify the electrical signal. The energy harvesting circuit and the diode rectifier can be encapsulated within a biocompatible electrically insulating material. Additionally, in some cases, an electrical interface is exposed through the biocompatible electrically insulating material. A microstimulator described herein can also include a nerve cuff The nerve cuff can be configured to receive a monophasic neural stimulation pulse through the electrical interface of the micro stimulator.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes the use of nerve conduits as scaffolds for nerve regeneration, including spinal cord regeneration. The conduit may be hollow or contain a luminal filler such as agar or other biocompatible material.

Abstract: A carbon nanotube (CNT) based electrode and method of making the same is disclosed. The CNT based electrode can have a microelectrode made substantially from a substantially inert metal, a first CNT sheet and a second CNT sheet, wherein the first and second CNT sheets are embedded in a collagen film.

Abstract: A biomimetic biosynthetic nerve implant (BNI) that uses a hydrogel-based, transparent, multi-channel matrix as a 3-D substrate for nerve repair is disclosed. Novel scaffold-casting devices were designed for reproducible fabrication of grafts containing several micro-conduits, and further tested in vivo using a sciatic nerve animal model and repair of the adult hemitransected spinal cord. At 16 weeks post-injury of the sciatic nerve, empty tubes formed a single nerve cable. In sharp contrast, animals that received the multi-luminal BNI showed multiple nerve cables within the available microchannels, better resembling the multi-fascicular anatomy and ultra structure of the normal nerve. In the injured spinal cord, the BNI loaded with genetically engineered Schwann cells were able to demonstrate survival of the grafted cells inside the BNI, and robust axonal regeneration through the implant up to 45 days after repair.

Abstract: A biomimetic biosynthetic nerve implant (BNI) that uses a hydrogel-based, transparent, multi-channel matrix as a 3-D substrate for nerve repair is disclosed. Novel scaffold-casting devices were designed for reproducible fabrication of grafts containing several micro-conduits, and further tested in vivo using a sciatic nerve animal model and repair of the adult hemitransected spinal cord. At 16 weeks post-injury of the sciatic nerve, empty tubes formed a single nerve cable. In sharp contrast, animals that received the multi-luminal BNI showed multiple nerve cables within the available microchannels, better resembling the multi-fascicular anatomy and ultra structure of the normal nerve. In the injured spinal cord, the BNI loaded with genetically engineered Schwann cells were able to demonstrate survival of the grafted cells inside the BNI, and robust axonal regeneration through the implant up to 45 days after repair.