Eberhard-karls-universität Tübingen Universitätsklinikum

Nmi Naturwissenschaftliches Und Medizinisches Institut an Der Universitat Tubingen in Reutlingen

Other

Bayer Aktiengesellschaft

Acandis Gmbh & Co. Kg

Nmi Naturwissenschaftliches Und Medizinisches Institut an Der Universitat Tubingen

Retina Implant Ag

Cytocentrics Ag

Retina Implant Gmbh

Eberhard-karls-universitat Tubingen Universitatsklinkum

Alfred Stett

Wilfried Nisch

Martin Stelzle

Eberhart Zrenner

Michael Graf

Heinz Gerhard Graf

Stefan Weiss

Hugo Hämmerle

Ulrich Egert

Thomas Ernst Müller

Christoph Methfessel

Thomas Krahn

Giorgio Cattaneo

Bernd Höfflinger

Hugo Haemmerle

Heinz-Gerhard Graf

Bernd Hoefflinger

Anke Hierzenberger

Markus B Schubert

Thomas Knott

Harald N Wanka

Elke G&uuml;nther

Hugo Hammerle

Helmut Sachs

Alexander Dollberg

Alireza Gharabaghi

A Gharabaghi

Markus Schubert

Bernd Höfflingen

An electrode for medical applications for neuromodulation and/or nerve stimulation and/or neurological signal detection, which electrode can be compressed and expanded in order to insert same into a hollow organ of a body and is or can be coupled to a current supply. The electrode has a compressible and expandable lattice structure including lattice webs, which form cells, wherein the lattice structure is or can be coupled to the current supply and forms at least one electrically conductive region and at least one electrically insulated region.

Electrode for medical applications, system having an electrode, and method for producing an electrode

An active retina implant has a multiplicity of pixel elements that convert incident light into electric stimulation signals for cells of the retina with which stimulation electrodes are to make contact. Each pixel element is provided with at least one image cell that converts incident light into electric signals, there being provided at least one amplifier whose input is connected to the image cell and whose output is connected to at least one stimulation electrode to which it supplies a stimulation signal. Also provided is an energy supply which provides externally coupled external energy as supply voltage for the image cells and the amplifiers. The image cell has a logarithmic characteristic according to which incident light of specific intensity is converted into electric signals of specific amplitude. The stimulation signal is supplied in the form of analog voltage pulses of specific pulse length and pulse spacings, the pulse amplitude being a function of the intensity of the incident light.

Active retina implant with a multiplicity of pixel elements

An apparatus for electrically contacting biological cells suspended in a liquid has a substrate having at least one opening and an electrode for electrically contacting a cell immobilized above the opening. A contact unit with a contact tip is arranged below said opening. A top end of the contact tip projects into the opening in such a way that it comes to bear against a cell membrane of the immobilized cell. The contact tip has a contact channel which ends at its top end. A hydrodynamic low pressure can be exerted upon the cell membrane via the contact channel, and the electrode is electrically connected to the contact channel. In a method for electrically contacting biological cells suspended in a liquid, a cell is immobilized above an opening provided in a substrate, and the immobilized cell is contacted via at least one electrode. For contacting the immobilized cell, a hydrodynamic low pressure is generated acting on a cell membrane through a contact tip projecting into the opening.

Apparatus and method for electrically contacting biological cells suspended in a liquid

An electrode arrangement for electrical stimulation of biological material has at least one stimulation electrode via which the biological material can be fed a stimulus signal. Furthermore, a counter electrode is present which forms a counter pole to the stimulation electrode, one sensor electrode is provided with the aid of which it is possible to determine a polarization voltage across the stimulation electrode.

Electrode arrangement for electrical stimulation of biological material, and a multi-electrode array for use in such an electrode arrangement

A microelement device has a plurality of microelements, which may be configured as microelectrodes, arranged on a substrate and adapted for making contact to cells present in a liquid environment. The cells are guided onto the microelectrodes, are isolated or are mechanically attracted to the microelectrodes. A negative-pressure force or a hydrodynamic force may be applied on the cells. Also described are a method for making contact to the cells, and a method for manufacturing the microelement device is disclosed.

Method for making contact to cells present in a liquid environment above a substrate

A method and a device are used for carrying out measurements on cells located in a liquid environment. Each cell is positioned with an underside of its membrane on a surface having a channel running through it. A negative pressure is established to aspirate the cells. Each cell is electrically scanned via at least one electrode which is spaced apart from the cell. The negative pressure is preferably established in a pulse-like manner to rupture the membrane in such a way that the cell interior enclosed by the membrane is connected to the channel.

Device for taking measurements of cells which are contained in a liquid environment

A retina implant including a chip adapted to be implanted into the interior of eye in subretinal contact with the retina. The chip has a plurality of pixel elements on a side thereof facing the lens for receiving an image projected into the retina and a plurality of electrodes for stimulating retina cells. The implants further includes a receiver coil for inductively coupling thereinto electromagnetic energy. The receiver coil coupled to a means for converting an alternating voltage induced into the receiver coil in a direct voltage suited for supplying the chip. The receiver coil is configured as a component separate from the chip, and for being positioned on the eye ball outside the sclera. The chip is connected to the receiver coil via a connecting lead which, in the implanted condition interconnects the interior and the exterior of the eye ball.

Retina implant assembly and methods for manufacturing the same

A retina implant, comprises a surface and a plurality of pixel elements disposed on the surface for receiving and converting incoming light energy into electric energy. At least one amplifier is provided in the implant, and a plurality of stimulation electrodes supplied via the at least one amplifier as a function of signals received by the pixel elements. At least one light-sensitive reference element is coupled with the at least one amplifier for controlling amplification thereof as a function of light energy impinging on the at least one reference element.

Retina implant

An optically controllable microelectrode array for stimulating cells within a tissue is disclosed. The array comprises a substrate having a surface. The substrate is adapted to be placed on the tissue with the surface adjoining the cells. The substrate further comprises a plurality of electrodes on the surface in contact with the cells for stimulating the cells. The electrodes are dimensioned such that a first surface area on the electrodes in contact with the cells is essentially smaller than a second surface area on the cells in which the cells may be contacted by the electrodes. An electrical stimulus is exerted from the electrodes to the cells under the control of light impinging on the tissue.

Optically controllable microelectrode array for stimulating cells within a tissue

Microelement device

A retina implant has a substrate with a surface for applying same to a retina. The substrate comprises electrodes for stimulating cells within the retina. The electrodes are provided on the surface and are exposed to visible light impinging on the retina such that stimuli are exerted on the cells by the electrodes. The implant, further, comprises a photovoltaic layer responsive to non-visible light. The stimuli are locally switched utilizing a voltage generated by the photovoltaic layer.

Growing community of inventors

Reutlingen, Germany

Alfred Stett