CyberRat probes: High-resolution biohybrid devices for probing the brain

Abstract

Neuronal probes can be defined as biohybrid entities where the probes and nerve cells establish a close physical interaction for communicating in one or both directions. During the last decade neuronal probe technology has seen an exploded development. This paper presents newly developed chip-based CyberRat probes for enhanced signal transmission from nerve cells to chip or from chip to nerve cells with an emphasis on in-vivo interfacing, either in terms of signal-to-noise ratio or of spatiotemporal resolution. The oxide-insulated chips featuring large-scale and high-resolution arrays of stimulation and recording elements are a promising technology for high spatiotemporal resolution biohybrid devices, as recently demonstrated by recordings obtained from hippocampal slices and brain cortex in implanted animals. Finally, we report on SigMate, an in-house comprehensive automated tool for processing and analysis of acquired signals by such large scale biohybrid devices. © 2012 Springer-Verlag.