Vanderbilt University

Lockheed Martin Company

Austin R Duke

Charles A Lemaire

Mark P Bendett

James Stocker Webb

Anita Mahadevan-Jansen

Jonathon D Wells

Peter E Konrad

E Duco Jansen

An apparatus and method for stimulating animal tissue (for example to trigger a nerve action potential (NAP) signal in a human patient) by application of both electrical and optical signals for treatment and diagnosis purposes. The application of an electrical signal before or simultaneously to the application of a NAP-triggering optical signal allows the use of a lower amount of optical power or energy than would otherwise be needed if an optical signal alone was used for the same purpose and effectiveness. The application of the electrical signal may precondition the nerve tissue such that a lower-power optical signal can be used to trigger the desired NAP, which otherwise would take a higher-power optical signal were the electric signal not applied. Some embodiments include an implanted nerve interface having a plurality of closely spaced electrodes placed transversely and/or longitudinally to the nerve and a plurality of optical emitters.

Method and nerve stimulator using simultaneous electrical and optical signals

Growing community of inventors

Nashville, TN, United States of America

Austin R Duke