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30 - Electrical stimulation

from Part VI - Brain interfaces

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 September 2015

By
Sudip Nag ,
Dinesh Sharma  and
Nitish V. Thakor
Edited by
Sandro Carrara  and
Krzysztof Iniewski
Sudip Nag
Affiliation:
National University of Singapore
Dinesh Sharma
Affiliation:
Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay
Nitish V. Thakor
Affiliation:
Johns Hopkins University
Sandro Carrara
Affiliation:
École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
Krzysztof Iniewski
Affiliation:
Redlen Technologies Inc., Canada
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Summary

This chapter explores electrical stimulation of excitable biologicalentities. It provides a brief history of electrical stimulation, stimulationparameters, theory of electrode interface impedance, and types ofstimulation. Focus is on the technology of charge balancing, power losses,voltage compliance, and associated hardware complexities of electricalstimulators. Stimulus artifacts and inductive power delivery are alsodiscussed, and are often used with stimulators for applications in neuralprostheses and therapeutics [1, 2].

Introduction

Electrical stimulation is an important and popular method in which injectedcharges are mainly responsible for excitation or inhibition of neural ormotor structures [3–5]. It can be utilized for treatment of diseasesand restoration of dysfunctional organs, such as for the brain [6, 7],retina [8, 9], cochlea [10], or peripheral nerve [11]. The electricalstimulation process is accomplished by using conductive electrodes ofspecific size and shape, which are placed at desired biological sites ofinterest. Coulombic charge is injected through such electrodes by means ofconstant current or constant voltage pulses. Charge injection accuracy,power loss minimization, output voltage compliance, and miniaturization areimportant factors that can enhance practical performance in electronicstimulators [12]. In the following subsections we provide a brief historyand introduce technical parameters associated with electricalstimulation.

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Chapter
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Handbook of Bioelectronics
Directly Interfacing Electronics and Biological Systems
 , pp. 365 - 378
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2015

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