MEMS-Actuated Carbon Fiber Microelectrode for Neural Recording

IEEE Trans Nanobioscience. 2019 Apr;18(2):234-239. doi: 10.1109/TNB.2019.2905505. Epub 2019 Mar 15.

Abstract

Microwire and microelectrode arrays used for cortical neural recording typically consist of tens to hundreds of recording sites, but often only a fraction of these sites are in close enough proximity to firing neurons to record single-unit activity. Recent work has demonstrated precise, depth-controllable mechanisms for the insertion of single neural recording electrodes, but these methods are mostly only capable of inserting electrodes which elicit an adverse biological response. We present an electrostatic-based actuator capable of inserting individual carbon fiber microelectrodes which elicit minimal to no adverse biological response. The device is shown to insert a carbon fiber recording electrode into an agar brain phantom and can record an artificial neural signal in saline. This technique provides a platform generalizable to many microwire-style recording electrodes.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Carbon Fiber*
  • Electrodes, Implanted
  • Equipment Design
  • Mice
  • Micro-Electrical-Mechanical Systems*
  • Microelectrodes*
  • Neurons / physiology*

Substances

  • Carbon Fiber