Electrode pooling: boosting the yield of extracellular recordings with switchable silicon probes

State-of-the-art silicon probes for electrical recording from neurons have thousands of recording sites. However, due to volume limitations there are typically many fewer wires carrying signals off the probe, which restricts the number of channels that can be recorded simultaneously. To overcome this fundamental constraint, we propose a novel method called electrode pooling that uses a single wire to serve many recording sites through a set of controllable switches. Here we present the framework behind this method and an experimental strategy to support it. We then demonstrate its feasibility by implementing electrode pooling on the Neuropixels 1.0 electrode array and characterizing its effect on signal and noise. Finally we use simulations to explore the conditions under which electrode pooling saves wires without compromising the content of the recordings. We make recommendations on the design of future devices to take advantage of this strategy

A neural probe with up to 966 electrodes and up to 384 configurable channels in 0.13 μm SOI CMOS

In vivo recording of neural action-potential and local-field-potential signals requires the use of high-resolution penetrating probes. Several international initiatives to better understand the brain are driving technology efforts towards maximizing the number of recording sites while minimizing the neural probe dimensions. We designed and fabricated (0.13-μm SOI Al CMOS) a 384-channel configurable neural probe for large-scale in vivo recording of neural signals. Up to 966 selectable active electrodes were integrated along an implantable shank (70 μm wide, 10 mm long, 20 μm thick), achieving a crosstalk of −64.4 dB. The probe base (5 × 9 mm2) implements dual-band recording and a 1

Cold performance tests of blocked-impurity-band Si:As detectors developed for DARWIN

We report first results of laboratory tests of Si:As blocked-impurity-band (BIB) mid-infrared (4 to 28 um) detectors developed by IMEC. These prototypes feature 88 pixels hybridized on an integrated cryogenic readout electronics (CRE). They were developed as part of a technology demonstration program for the future DARWIN mission. In order to be able to separate detector and readout effects, a custom build TIA circuitry was used to characterize additional single pixel detectors. We used a newly designed test setup at the MPIA to determine the relative spectral response, the quantum efficiency, and the dark current. All these properties were measured as a function of operating temperature and detector bias. In addition the effects of ionizing radiation on the detector were studied. For determining the relative spectral response we used a dual-grating monochromator and a bolometer with known response that was operated in parallel to the Si:As detectors. The quantum efficiency was measured by using a custom-build high-precision vacuum black body together with cold (T ~ 4 K) filters of known (measured) transmission.Comment: 11 pages, 8 figures, to appear in "High Energy, Optical, and Infrared Detectors for Astronomy" SPIE conference Proc. 7021, Marseille, 23-28 June 200

Time Multiplexed Active Neural Probe with 678 Parallel Recording Sites

We present a high density CMOS neural probe with active electrodes (pixels), consisting of dedicated in-situ circuits for signal source amplification. The complete probe contains 1356 neuron size (20x20 μm2) pixels densely packed on a 50 μm thick, 100 μm wide and 8 mm long shank. It allows simultaneous highperformance recording from 678 electrodes and a possibility to simultaneously observe all of the 1356 electrodes with increased noise. This considerably surpasses the state of the art active neural probes in electrode count and flexibility. The measured action potential band noise is 12.4 μVrms, with just 3 μW power dissipation per electrode amplifier and 45 μW per channel (including data transmission)

Time Multiplexed Active Neural Probe with 1356 Parallel Recording Sites

We present a high electrode density and high channel count CMOS (complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor) active neural probe containing 1344 neuron sized recording pixels (20 µm × 20 µm) and 12 reference pixels (20 µm × 80 µm), densely packed on a 50 µm thick, 100 µm wide, and 8 mm long shank. The active electrodes or pixels consist of dedicated in-situ circuits for signal source amplification, which are directly located under each electrode. The probe supports the simultaneous recording of all 1356 electrodes with sufficient signal to noise ratio for typical neuroscience applications. For enhanced performance, further noise reduction can be achieved while using half of the electrodes (678). Both of these numbers considerably surpass the state-of-the art active neural probes in both electrode count and number of recording channels. The measured input referred noise in the action potential band is 12.4 µVrms, while using 678 electrodes, with just 3 µW power dissipation per pixel and 45 µW per read-out channel (including data transmission)

Osteitis Pubis After TURP: A Rare Complication Difficult to Recognize

TURP is a widespread urologic procedure that is performed by many urologists. This report describes a rare complication that causes serious morbidity because it is not recognized in time. This is also the first report of a prostatosymphyseal fistula treated without major surgery. Eventually diagnosis is made by a MRI 5 months after surgery. Decompressive surgery was necessary to treat pubic osteïtis with invalidating pain. Culture results revealed Escherichia coli but eventually the diagnosis was made by fistulography. Treatment consisted of bladder drainage and long-term antibiotic treatment and these could eventually heal the fistula

Optical Coherence Tomography Imaging of the Cochlea

Presentationstatus: publishe

High-resolution Imaging of the Human Cochlea through the Round Window by means of Optical Coherence Tomography

The human cochlea is deeply embedded in the temporal bone and surrounded by a thick otic capsule, rendering its internal structure inaccessible for direct visualization. Clinical imaging techniques fall short of their resolution for imaging of the intracochlear structures with sufficient detail. As a result, there is a lack of knowledge concerning best practice for intracochlear therapy placement, such as cochlear implantation. In the past decades, optical coherence tomography (OCT) has proven valuable for non-invasive, high-resolution, cross-sectional imaging of tissue microstructure in various fields of medicine, including ophthalmology, cardiology and dermatology. There is an upcoming interest for OCT imaging of the cochlea, which so far was mostly carried out in small animals. In this temporal bone study, we focused on high-resolution imaging of the human cochlea. The cochlea was approached through mastoidectomy and posterior tympanotomy, both standard surgical procedures. A commercially available spectral-domain OCT imaging system was used to obtain high-resolution images of the cochlear hook region through the intact round window membrane in four cadaveric human temporal bones. We discuss the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of intracochlear structures on OCT images and their importance for cochlear implant surgery.status: publishe