Dr. med. Tonio Ball

Use of new Microelectrodes in the Context of Brain-Machine Interfacing

(Montag, 10.40 Uhr, Schinkelsaal)

Tonio Ball

Electrocorticographic (ECoG) recordings provide detailed spatio-temporal information on cortical population activity beyond what can be achieved with non-invasive methods and has been proposed as a control signal for brain-machine interfaces (BMIs). The “macro-ECoG” electrode arrays typically used in previous BMI studies have contacts with a diameter of several mm and an inter-contact distance on the order of 1 cm. In the last decades, however, there is growing interest to reduce the clinical risk and to further increase the spatial resolution of subdural ECoG recordings. To this aim, novel micro-ECoG (µECoG) electrode arrays with a smaller contact size and higher electrode density than conventional ECoG have been developed. Here I summarize recent advances in µECoG-based brain mapping. In particular I will discuss the role of µECoG both array and electrode sizes in mapping of sub-mm structure in cortical activation patterns up to very high frequency ranges > 1000 Hz. Technical solutions for closed-loop µECoG-based interaction with the cerebral cortex with a wireless, fully implantable system will be presented.

Acknowledgements: This work was supported by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research BrainCon Grant 0316064C and by the DFG grant EXC1086 BrainLinks-BrainTools to the University of Freiburg, Germany


Dr. Tonio Ball
Bernstein Center Freiburg, Uniklinik Freiburg