Systems and methods for stimulation of neurological tissue generate stimulation trains with temporal patterns of stimulation, in which the interval between electrical pulses (the inter-pulse intervals) changes or varies over time. Compared to conventional continuous, high rate pulse trains having regular (i.e., constant) inter-pulse intervals, the non-regular (i.e., not constant) pulse patterns or trains that embody features of the invention provide a lower average frequency.

A medical apparatus configured to neuromodulate tissue and/or record patient information is provided. The apparatus includes an external system to transmit transmission signal(s), each signal having at least power or data, and an implantable system to receive the transmission signal(s). The data transfer between the external and implantable systems is asynchronous. The external system includes external antenna(s) to transmit a transmission signal. The transmission signal is an amplitude modulated signal modulated by varying a load on the external antenna(s) that causes an impedance mismatch prior to amplifying the signal for transmission. An implantable device includes implantable antenna(s) to receive the transmission signal. The implantable system comprises a receiver to receive the transmission signal from the implantable antenna(s), implantable transmission module(s) to transmit data to the external system, and a variable load connected to the implantable antenna(s). Data is transmitted by varying the load.

An implantable medical device (IMD) is described capable of determining whether a patient is susceptible to freezing of gait events during ambulatory movement without the patient demonstrating an episode of freezing of gait. In one example, the IMD senses, via one or more electrodes, a bioelectrical signal of a brain of the patient while the patient performs movement associated with freezing of gait. The IMD determines, based on the bioelectrical signal, whether the patient is susceptible to freezing of gait while the patient is not experiencing an episode of freezing of gait. Further, upon detecting the movement associated with freezing of gait, the IMD delivers electrical stimulation therapy to the patient configured to suppress freezing of gait.

Stimulation of nervous system components by electrodes can be used in many applications, including in the operation of brain-machine interfaces, bidirectional neural interfaces, and neuroprosthetics. The optimal operation of such systems requires a means of accurately measuring neural responses to such stimulations. However, currently the measurement of neural responses is difficult due to heavy stimulation artifacts arising from stimulatory pulses. The invention encompasses novel methods of estimating stimulation artifacts in measurements attained by recording electrodes and the effective removal of these artifacts. This provides improved neural recording systems and enables the deployment of closed-loop neural stimulation systems.

This disclosure relates to a device for applying a neural stimulus. A battery supplies electrical energy at a battery voltage and an electrode applies the electrical energy to neural tissue. A circuit measures the nervous response of the tissue and a voltage converter receives the electrical energy from the battery and controls a voltage applied to the electrode based on the measured nervous response of the tissue. This direct voltage control is energy efficient because losses across a typical current mirror are avoided. Further, the control based on the measured nervous response leads to automatic compensation of impedance variation due to in-growth or change in posture. As a result, the stimulation results in a desired neural response.

A bioelectric interface is provided. The bioelectric interface comprises a case having a channel configured to hold a nerve. An electrode array is slidably coupled to the case, wherein the electrode array comprises a number of electrode shanks. The case restricts movement of the electrode array to one degree of freedom toward or away from the nerve held in the channel for insertion of the electrode shanks into the nerve.

A method of forming an activated coating composition is disclosed. The method includes providing (a) boron nitride, (b) carbon, (c) aluminum oxide and (d) a liquid carrier. Each of the boron nitride, carbon and aluminum oxide are in particulate form. The coating composition is activated to form an activated coating composition. The activated coating composition includes active components having from about 60.0 wt% to about 90.0 wt% boron nitride, from about 16 wt% to about 24 wt% carbon and from about 4 wt% to about 6 wt% aluminum oxide. A coating method, coated substrate and activated coating composition are also disclosed.

The present disclosure provides advantageous post and partition assembly that is configured and adapted to promote modularity and withstand the harsh environment of central sterile processing processes. Modular post assembly may be removed and relocated on tray without additional fasteners or components. Tray and bracket assembly may further provide identification features to correctly associate cataloged reusable medical devices to identified trays.

Provided herein is method of modulating a plurality of neurons in a patient, by stimulating an area of the patient's central nervous system. The stimulation includes alternating first periods when a plurality of pulses of electrical stimulation are delivered and second periods when no pulses of electrical stimulation are delivered. The first periods have a duration of about 100 to about 400 ms and the second periods have a duration of about 500 ms to about 1900 ms. The pulses have a frequency of about 100 Hz to about 250 Hz.

This document discusses a computer-implemented method of machine recognition of a physiological condition of a subject. The computer-implemented method comprises obtaining a video stream of the subject using a video data source; identifying, using processing circuitry, one or more areas within image frames of the video stream that contain a physiological feature of the subject; analyzing video data of the identified one or more areas in the image frames using the processing circuitry to detect change of the physiological feature between a first frame of video data and a later frame of video data; determining one or more change parameters of the physiological feature from the video data; and generating an indication of a symptom of Parkinson's Disease according to a detection criterion applied to the one or more change parameters.