A power‐efficient current‐mode neural/muscular stimulator design for peripheral nerve prosthesis. (21st November 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Liu, Xu; Yao, Lei; Ng, Kian Ann; Li, Peng; Wang, Wensi; Je, Minkyu; Xu, Yong Ping
• Is Part Of: International journal of circuit theory and applications. Volume 46:Number 4(2018)
• Page Start: 692
• Page End: 706
• Publication Date: 2017-11-21
• Subjects: electrode -- exponential current -- neural/muscular stimulator -- optimization -- peripheral nerve prosthesis -- power‐efficient; Electric circuit analysis -- Periodicals; 621.319205
• DOI: 10.1002/cta.2434
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0098-9886

Abstract

Summary: This paper presents a 16‐channel power‐efficient neural/muscular stimulation integrated circuit for peripheral nerve prosthesis. First, the theoretical analysis is presented to show the power efficiency optimization in a stimulator. Moreover, a continuous‐time, biphasic exponential‐current‐waveform generation circuit is designed based on Taylor series approximation and implemented in the proposed stimulation chip to optimize the power efficiency. In the 16‐channel stimulator chip design, each channel of the stimulator consists of a current copier, an exponential current generator, an active charge‐balancing circuit, and a 24‐V output stage. Stimulation amplitude, pulse width, and frequency can be set and adjusted through an external field‐programmable gate array by sending serial commands. Finally, the proposed stimulator chip has been fabricated in a 0.18‐μm advanced complementary metal‐oxide‐semiconductor process with 24‐V laterally diffused metal oxide semiconductor option. The maximum stimulation power efficiency of 95.9% is achieved at the output stage with an electrode model of 10‐kΩ resistance and 100‐nF capacitance. Animal experiment results further demonstrate the power efficiency improvement and effectiveness of the stimulator. Abstract : This paper presents a 16‐channel power‐efficient neural/muscular stimulation integrated circuit for peripheral nerve prosthesis. First, the theoretical analysis is presented to show the power efficiency optimization in a stimulator. Moreover, a continuous‐time, biphasic exponential‐current‐waveform generation circuit is designed based on Taylor series approximation and implemented in the proposed stimulation chip to optimize the power efficiency. Finally, the chip is implemented and the maximum stimulation power efficiency of 95.9% is achieved at the output stage of the stimulator in the measurement.