Innovative Micro-vibration for Reduced Insertion Force
The NeuralGlider Inserter micro-vibration amplitude can be controlled though the Actuator power setting to optimize insertion of each neural implant. The reduction of force (ROF) required to penetrate tissue varies with the Actuator power, or displacement. ROF >90% is achievable with most neural implants.
Compatibility with a Wide Range of Neural Implants
The NeuralGlider Inserter standard system includes an Array Clamp designed to ‘couple’ or hold Omentics–style connectors for insertion of fixed arrays (or arrays secured firmly to the skull). The Array Clamp can be rotated 360° to enable careful positioning of the microelectrode shanks during surgery.
Custom coupling solutions are available to facilitate NeuralGlider Inserter use with a wide range of commercial and ‘homemade’ implant styles. Rental or purchase of the NeuralGlider Inserter includes engineering time to support development of a coupler for your preferred neural implant.
How it works
The NeuralGlider Inserter uses ultrasonic micro-vibration to reduce forces and resultant dimpling during neural implant insertions. The standard system includes a linear motor for precise, automated control of insertion depth and speed, an Actuator for variable-power vibration of the implant, and a low-profile microscope camera to enable detailed view of the surgical field. The NeuralGlider Inserter mounts to a standard stereotaxic frame (not included).
“The NeuralGlider Inserter helped us to get a better outcome for our DBS-fMRI study. The micro-vibration really reduced impact resistance during implantation of flexible probe as well as chronic glial cell formation, so that we could get higher accuracy of electrode placement and reliable stimulation-induced hemodynamic responses from fMRI.”
Sung-Ho Lee, Ph.D.
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
“The pia mater was left intact to minimize hemorrhaging due to its dense vasculature, which could be disrupted during electrode insertion. Thus, ultrasonic micro-vibration [NeuralGlider] was used during insertion for pia mater penetration of a-SiC microelectrode arrays, which was needed due to the thin and flexible characteristics of ultrasmall a-SiC electrode arrays.”
“Recording of pig neuronal activity in the comparative context of the awake human brain.”
Aksharkumar Dobariya, Tarek Y. El Ahmadieh, Levi B. Good, Ana G. Hernandez-Reynoso, Vikram Jakkamsetti, Ronnie Brown, Misha Dunbar, Kan Ding, Jesus Luna, Raja Reddy Kallem, William C. Putnam, John M. Shelton, Bret M. Evers, Amirhossein Azami, Negar Geramifard, Stuart F. Cogan, Bruce Mickey & Juan M. Pascual
NIH SBIR Subawardees
These works are/were partially supported by the Brain Initiative at the National Institutes of Health National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NIH/NINDS) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Grant No. NS105500 and National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIH/NIDA) SBIR Grant No. DA051265 and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Biological Technologies Office (BTO) Electrical Prescriptions Contract No. HR0011-16-C-0094. The views, opinions, and/or findings contained in this work are those of Actuated Medical, Inc. and should not be construed as an official government position, policy, or decision unless so designated by other documentation.