Laboratory for Biomedical Microtechnology, Department of Microsystems Engineering, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
J Neural Eng. 2019 Oct 29;16(6):061002. doi: 10.1088/1741-2552/ab36df.
Technological advances in electrically active implantable devices have increased the complexity of hardware design. In particular, the increasing number of stimulation and recording channels requires innovative approaches for connectors that interface electrodes with the implant circuitry.
This work aims to provide a common theoretical ground for implantable connector development with a focus on neural applications.
Aspects and experiences from several disciplines are compiled from an engineering perspective to discuss the state of the art of connector solutions. Whenever available, we also present general design guidelines.
Degradation mechanisms, material stability and design rules in terms of biocompatibility and biostability are introduced. Considering contact physics, we address the design and characterization of the contact zone and review contaminants, wear and contact degradation. For high-channel counts and body-like environments, insulation can be even more crucial than the electrical connection itself. Therefore, we also introduce the requirements for electrical insulation to prevent signal loss and distortion and discuss its impact on the practical implementation.
A final review is dedicated to the state of the art connector concepts, their mechanical setup, electrical performance and the interface to other implant components. We conclude with an outlook for possible approaches for the future generations of implants.
电活性植入式设备的技术进步增加了硬件设计的复杂性。特别是，刺激和记录通道数量的增加需要创新的连接器方法，以便将电极与植入式电路连接。
本工作旨在为植入式连接器的开发提供一个共同的理论基础，重点是神经应用。
从工程的角度，汇集了来自多个学科的方面和经验，讨论了连接器解决方案的现状。只要有可能，我们还介绍了一般的设计准则。
介绍了降解机制、材料稳定性以及生物相容性和生物稳定性方面的设计规则。考虑到接触物理学，我们解决了接触区域的设计和特性，并回顾了污染物、磨损和接触退化。对于高通道计数和类似身体的环境，绝缘可能比电连接本身更为关键。因此，我们还介绍了防止信号损失和失真的电绝缘要求，并讨论了其对实际实现的影响。
最后，我们对先进的连接器概念、它们的机械结构、电气性能以及与其他植入式组件的接口进行了综述。我们以对未来几代植入物的可能方法的展望结束。
