ECE MS Thesis Defense: Shanchuan Liang

MS Thesis Defense: Design and Characterization of Flexible Neural Interface Connector for Large-scale Neuronal Recording

Shanchuan Liang

Location: Zoom Link

Abstract: With the increasing demand of the electrically active implantable devices for studying neuroscience, microelectrode arrays (MEAs) have been widely developed to measure extracellular neuronal activity. Multiple channels MEAs with electrodes embedded are designed to allow coupling time-resolved data simultaneously. In this process, a well-designed PCB is also essential which use as a bridge to connect MEAs and back-end data acquisition system. This work developed an up to 256-channel flexible neural interface connector for neural signal recording. This thesis aims to introduce the detailed design and implementation procedures of the neural interface connector which consists of MEA, PCB and amplifier. Considering the contact physics of the connector, a contact model was established by using COMSOL to address the contact zone and figure out the displacement and pressure on the layer MEAs embedded. The simulation results were used for characterization and optimizing. Robustness tests reveal that the connector is stable up to 500 cycles with high yield. The following in vivo recordings by installed the device on mouse brain validate its excellent performance of recordings of spontaneous single-unit activity of neurons in which spikes in neurons were captured after signal processing.