Wireless intra-brain communication for image transmission through mouse brain

"Optical communication with brain cells by means of an implanted duplex micro-device with optogenetics and Ca(2+) fluoroimaging"

To better understand the brain function based on neural activity, a minimally invasive analysis technology in a freely moving animal is necessary. Such technology would provide new knowledge in neuroscience and contribute to regenerative medical techniques and prosthetics care. An application that combines optogenetics for voluntarily stimulating nerves, imaging to visualize neural activity, and a wearable micro-instrument for implantation into the brain could meet the abovementioned demand. To this end, a micro-device that can be applied to the brain less invasively and a system for controlling the device has been newly developed in this study. Since the novel implantable device has dual LEDs and a CMOS image sensor, photostimulation and fluorescence imaging can be performed simultaneously. The device enables bidirectional communication with the brain by means of light. In the present study, the device was evaluated in an in vitro experiment using a new on-chip 3D neuroculture with an extracellular matrix gel and an in vivo experiment involving regenerative medical transplantation and gene delivery to the brain by using both photosensitive channel and fluorescent Ca²⁺ indicator. The device succeeded in activating cells locally by selective photostimulation, and the physiological Ca²⁺ dynamics of neural cells were visualized simultaneously by fluorescence imaging.

Implantable image sensor based on intra-brain image transmission

We developed and fabricated a micro-imager based on wireless intra-brain communication using conductive property of living tissues. An pixel array, analog-to-digital converter and transmitter are integrated on a single chip. The dimensions of the chip are 1 mm × 1mm × 0.15 mm. We demonstrate wireless image transmission through phosphate buffer saline as a brain phantom.

Baseband signal transmission experiment for intra-brain communication with implantable image sensor

We demonstrate image signal transmission for wireless intra-brain communication. As a preliminary experiment, transmission characteristics of the brain phantom were measured. The baseband output signal from an implantable complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor is transmitted through the phantom. The image was successfully reproduced from the received signal.