Microelectrodes for Neural Implants: Progresses and Challenges
David Zhou, Ph.D
Second Sight Medical Products, Inc
Sylmar Biomedical Park, 12744 San Fernando Road, Sylmar, California
dmzhou@2-sight.com
A key issue in the development of neural prosthetic systems, especially retinal prostheses, has been the development of appropriate electrode materials. The size of charge-injection electrodes becomes smaller in order to increase selectivity and accommodating more electrodes on the arrays to achieve high resolutions for neural recording and stimulation. For such high density microelectrode arrays, the choice of electrode materials becomes increasingly important. Implantable microelectronic devices for neural prostheses require stimulation electrodes must be able to deliver higher charge density without generating irreversible electrochemical damages to neuron cells as well as to electrodes from chronic stimulation.
This talk concentrates on recent developments in electrode materials for neural prostheses, especially Retinal prosthetic devices. Some common electrode materials and promising advanced electrode materials will be reviewed. Electrochemical Techniques for characterizing stimulation electrodes will be presented. The challenges in the development of chronic implantable electrode systems, especially using MEMS technology for the medical implants, will be discussed.