Verily Life Sciences LLC

Google Inc.

Huanfen Yao

Zenghe Liu

James Etzkorn

Harvey Ho

Daniel B Otts

Jeffrey George Linhardt

Bo Lu

Kimberly Kam

Babak Parviz

Annapurna Karicherla

Brian Pepin

Kathy Jackson

Thin film connectors are described for connecting a lead assembly and a data acquisition system. Particularly, a connector includes a button having a housing and conductive pins extending from a proximal end of the housing through a base plate into a cavity on a distal end of the housing. The connector further includes a thin-film adapter having: (i) a supporting structure, (ii) bond pads formed on the supporting structure, (iii) a cable having conductive traces electrically connected to the bond pads, and (iv) feedthroughs that pass through the supporting structure and are electrically connected with the bond pads. Each conductive pin extends through a feedthrough, and each conductive pin is in electrical connection with one or more conductive traces via each bond pad.

Thin-film connectors for data acquisition system

The present disclosure relates to neuromodulation electrodes, and in particular, to neuromodulation electrodes having a platinum/iridium surface etched with a pattern and methods of laser etching the pattern into the platinum/iridium surface of the neuromodulation electrodes to improve performance of the neuromodulation electrodes. Particularly, aspects are directed to an electrode including a base body having: (i) an interface surface that has an area of less than 50 mm, and (ii) an alloy including platinum and iridium. The interface surface has a surface topography including: (i) an artificial pattern, and (ii) a surface roughness having an arithmetical mean height (R) of greater than 0.8 &#x3bc;m.

Platinum/iridium surface patterning by laser to improve neuromodulation electrode performance

The present disclosure relates to data acquisition, and in particular to thin film connectors between a lead assembly and a data acquisition system. Particularly, aspects of the present disclosure are directed to a connector that includes a button having a housing and conductive pins extending from a proximal end of the housing through a base plate into a cavity on a distal end of the housing. The connector further includes a thin-film adapter having: (i) a supporting structure, (ii) bond pads formed on the supporting structure, (iii) a cable having conductive traces electrically connected to the bond pads, and (iv) feedthroughs that pass through the supporting structure and are electrically connected with the bond pads. Each conductive pin extends through a feedthrough, and each conductive pin is in electrical connection with one or more conductive traces via each bond pad.

Biomaterials, such as hydrogels, can be mechanically secured to electrodes of an implantable device, such as electrodes made of noble metals. The hydrogel can be mechanically secured via anchoring features of the electrode. Anchoring features can include apertures, voids, textures, or other patterns created in or on the electrode. The hydrogel can incorporate into the anchoring features to mechanically hold the hydrogel against the electrode. The anchoring features, by being located in or on the electrode, can further increase the surface area of the electrode that is exposed to the hydrogel, which can facilitate the conduction of electrical signals between the electrode and surrounding biological tissue. The substrate supporting the electrode can include additional anchoring features that further assist in mechanically securing the hydrogel.

Implantable electrodes comprising mechanically anchored biocompatible hydrogels

Biomaterials, such as hydrogels, can be mechanically secured to an electrode of an implantable device using a non-swellable shell. Hydrogel can be applied to an electrode surface and then mechanically constrained in place by a non-swellable shell. The non-swellable material can be secured to a substrate supporting an electrode or can otherwise surround an electrode and the hydrogel. The non-swellable shell can include openings or passthroughs that allow for electrical conduction across the non-swellable shell. The hydrogel can extend out of the openings to contact adjacent biological tissue. In some cases, an outer layer of hydrogel can surround the non-swellable shell and connected to the inner layer of hydrogel through the openings of the non-swellable shell.

Implantable electrodes comprising mechanically constrained biocompatible hydrogels with conductive passthrough

A diaper sensor for detecting and differentiating feces and urine in a diaper is described. The diaper sensor may include at least one pair of conductive elements positioned within an absorbent region of the diaper. The diaper sensor may also include a transmitter and a control circuit operatively connected to the at least one pair of conductive elements and the transmitter. The diaper sensor may further include a power source operatively connected to the control circuit. The control circuit may measure the conductivity between the at least one pair of conductive elements. The control circuit may also determine whether there is poop or pee present in the diaper using the conductivity. The control circuit may also transmit via the transmitter a signal indicative of whether there is excrement or pee present in the diaper.

Smart diaper for detecting and differentiating feces and urine

A body-mountable urea sensing device includes an electrochemical sensor embedded in a polymeric material configured for mounting to a surface of an eye. The electrochemical sensor includes a working electrode, a reference electrode, and a reagent localized near the working electrode that selectively reacts with urea. A potentiometric voltage between the working electrode and the reference electrode is related to a concentration of urea in a fluid to which the electrochemical sensor is exposed; the voltage is measured by the body-mountable device and wirelessly communicated.

Method and system for measuring urea

An analyte sensor and a method for making the analyte sensor are disclosed. In one aspect, the analyte sensor includes a sensing membrane having a crosslinked network with an embedded analyte sensing component. In another aspect, the analyte sensor includes a protective membrane adjacent to the surface of the sensing membrane. The protective membrane can be a crosslinked, hydrophilic copolymer having methacrylate-derived backbone chains of first methacrylate-derived units, second methacrylate-derived units and third methacrylate-derived units. The first and second methacrylate-derived units have hydrophilic side chains, and the third methacrylate-derived units in different backbone chains are connected by hydrophilic crosslinks. A method for making the analyte sensor is also disclosed.

Two-layer analyte sensor

An analyte sensor and a method for making the analyte sensor are disclosed. In one aspect, the analyte sensor includes a crosslinked, hydrophilic copolymer in contact with a surface of an electrode, and an analyte sensing component embedded within the crosslinked, hydrophilic copolymer. The method of making the analyte sensor includes depositing a precursor mixture containing monomers and an analyte sensing component onto an electrode, exposing the deposited precursor mixture to a controlled environment for a specified period of time, and photopolymerizing the deposited exposed precursor mixture into a copolymer layer in contact with a surface of the electrode. Exposing the deposited precursor mixture to a controlled environment can increase the sensitivity of the sensor by reducing the thickness of the copolymer layer and/or by causing the analyte sensitive component within the copolymer layer to have a non-uniform concentration within the layer.

Adjustment of sensor sensitivity by controlling copolymer film thickness through a controlled drying step

An analyte sensor for the continuous or semi-continuous monitoring of physiological parameters and a method for making the analyte sensor are disclosed. The analyte sensor includes a crosslinked copolymer network in contact with a surface of an electrode. The copolymer network has voids formed by the removal of a porogen, and an analyte sensing component is immobilized within the network. The method involves forming a solution of the precursors of the copolymer, depositing the mixture on a surface of an electrode, and curing the deposited mixture to provide the analyte sensor.

Porous polymeric formulation prepared using porogens

An example method involves: forming a first bio-compatible layer that defines a first side of a bio-compatible device; forming a conductive pattern over a portion of the first bio-compatible layer; mounting an electronic component to the electrical contacts; forming a second bio-compatible layer over the first bio-compatible layer, the electronic component, the conductive pattern, wherein the second bio-compatible layer defines a second side of the bio-compatible device; forming a first etch mask to partially cover the second bio-compatible layer, thereby exposing a first portion of the second bio-compatible layer; removing the first portion of the second bio-compatible layer; forming a second etch mask to partially cover the second bio-compatible layer, thereby exposing a second portion of the second bio-compatible layer; and removing the second portion of the second bio-compatible layer.

Method of two-step parylene patterning and etching to release a parylene sandwiched device

An analyte sensor and a method for making the analyte sensor are disclosed. The analyte sensor includes a crosslinked, hydrophilic copolymer having a methacrylate-derived backbone and a side chain having a negatively charged group. The copolymer can include an embedded analyte sensing component, and can be adjacent to a surface of an electrode, or be adjacent to a sensing membrane that that has an embedded analyte sensing component and is adjacent to a surface of an electrode. The sensing membrane can have a crosslinked network of crosslinked proteins.

Analyte sensor incorporating negatively charged moieties

A method may involve: forming a first bio-compatible layer; forming a conductive pattern on the first bio-compatible layer, wherein the conductive pattern defines an antenna, sensor electrodes, electrical contacts, and one or more electrical interconnects; forming a protective layer over the sensor electrodes, such that the sensor electrodes are covered by the protective layer; mounting an electronic component to the electrical contacts; forming a second bio-compatible layer over the first bio-compatible layer, the electronic component, the antenna, the protective layer, the electrical contacts, and the one or more electrical interconnects; removing a portion of the second bio-compatible layer to form an opening in the second bio-compatible layer; and removing the protective layer through the opening in the second bio-compatible layer to thereby expose the sensor electrodes.

Fabrication methods for bio-compatible devices

Disclosed herein is a fluid conductivity sensor that can be used to obtain in-vivo measurements of conductivity of biological fluid samples, for example, to determine osmolarity. The conductivity sensor can be disposed on a substrate that is at least partially embedded within a polymeric material of a body-mountable device. The conductivity sensor can include a frame having a trench formed therein that defines a fluid sample cell. First and second electrodes can be formed on sidewalls of the trench, such that the first and second electrodes are on opposite sides of the fluid sample cell. A controller in the body-mountable device can operate the sensor by applying a voltage to the electrodes and measuring a current through a fluid occupying the fluid sample cell. The body-mountable device may indicate the current measurements wirelessly using an antenna.

Tear fluid conductivity sensor

Methods and systems for controlling analyte levels are described. An example method may include receiving a sensor measurement relating to an eye-mountable device. The method also may include determining an analyte concentration based on the one or more sensor measurements, and comparing the analyte concentration to a target analyte concentration. Based on the comparing, the method further may include providing instructions to a drug delivery device, where the instructions are configured to control a drug delivery rate by the drug delivery device.

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Sunnyvale, CA, United States of America

Huanfen Yao