Neuralink, Corp.

Ian M O'Hara

Timothy L Hanson

Vikash Gilja

Timothy J Gardner

Kenny Sharma

Christine M Odabashian

Systems and methods are disclosed for a lead, needle, and cannula that are sized and shaped for ease of needle threading and positioning, e.g., for implanting the lead into biological tissue. The lead has an opening at one end surrounded by an expanded region. The needle has a ledge in a side of the needle. The cannula has an exit gate with an aperture sized to accept the expanded region of the lead. A portion of the needle is held inside the cannula and can extend or retract therein. When the expanded region of the lead is threaded through the exit gate aperture, the needle is configured to extend through the opening of the lead and catch the lead on the ledge. The needle is further configured to extend past the exit gate of the cannula while pulling the lead through the slot and free of the aperture.

Cannula for grasping and setting lead with needle

Systems and methods that use computer vision techniques in connection with robotic surgery are discussed. A robotic surgery system may include an implantable device engagement sub-system, a targeting sub-system, and/or an insertion verification sub-system. The system may use computer vision techniques to facilitate implanting a micro-manufactured bio-compatible electrode device in biological tissue (e.g., neurological tissue such as the brain) using robotic assemblies. The system can attach, via robotic manipulation, the electrode to an engagement element of an insertion needle. The system can further irradiate the electrode using a near-ultraviolet (near-UV) wavelength of light, obtain images of the electrode with light fluoresced from the polymer portion in response to the irradiating, triangulate a 3D location of the electrode, analyze a target tissue contour using computer vision, select an insertion site, and surgically implant the micron-scale electrode at the insertion site via robotic assembly and based on the triangulated location.

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San Francisco, CA, United States of America

Ian M O'Hara