Carbon Fiber Microelectrode

Array for Chronic Neural

Recording
PROGRESS PRESENTATION

Group 12: David Jones, Brennan Kandalaft, and Luis Ruiz

 Agenda

Design
Project Overview Alternatives Budget Proposal
• Summary of problem • Coatings • Source of Funding
• Major Costs
• Updated Design Specs • Loading Jigs
• Updated Team Roles • Electrical Connection
 Carbon Fiber Microelectrodes (CFMEs) are
the ideal electrodes for chronic neural
recording in mice.

 Traditional neural implants like  CFMEs with ~5 m diameter

silicon or nichrome electrodes elicit almost no encapsulation
(~30 m diameter) elicit an response
encapsulation response.  Ideal for chronic recording ( > 1
year)

https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/9/9/430/html, Chestek et al.

Dr. Keith Hengen requires an
efficient system for
manufacturing 64-electrode
arrays using his current
Printed Circuit Board (PCB)
technology
 64-channel PCB designed by 2018-
2019 Senior design group
 Due to the CFMEs lack of rigidity
and structure, it is nearly impossible
to insert and connect them directly
into vias
Updates to our Design Specifications
Specification
Cost of Development
Number of Available Recording
Channels
Channel Functionality
# of PCBs that can be stacked
Headstage compatibility
Time to manufacture 1 functional PCB
(64 channels)
Single PCB mass
Single PCB length
Single PCB width
Single PCB height
Electrode Biological Response
Electrode Functional Time Course
Metric
< $10,000
64 channels per PCB - 512 for 8 stacked PCBs
64/64 channels function properly per PCB
8 PCBs with one headstage (512 channels total)
Any redesigned PCB must remain compatible with the current
stackable HS-640 E-cube headstage system
< 1 hour
< 5 grams
< 10.4 mm
< 10.9 mm
< .68 mm
No glial scarring around carbon electrodes
Electrodes must be able to record properly for longer than 1 year
Updates to our Team Roles

Category Task Team Member

Scheduling Brennan
Communicating with Dr. Hengen David
Notebook Updating Luis
Administrative,
Weekly Reports Brennan
Note-keeping, Presentations
Prelim Report and Presentation Brennan
Progress Report and Presentation David
V&V Report and Presentation Luis
General Research David
Materials Research and Testing Brennan
R&D
PCB Modifications David
3D Modeling Luis
Manufacturing Communication with Suppliers David
Updates to Gantt Chart
Design Alternatives

1) Coating 2) Loading Jig 3) CFME to PCB

Connection
• Make the CFMEs • Support the CFMEs
easier to work with Create a durable
• Align the CFMEs with •
• Polymer or Molecular the vias Electrical connection
Coating to provide between the CFMEs
• Speed up
structure and and the vias
Manufacturing
Rigidity to the CFMEs
process
 PVA is a water soluble, biocompatible, alcohol-
based coating that will provide rigidity to the
CFMEs
PEG Polyvinyl Calcium
Property1 Weight Agar PDMS Collagen Sugar
8000 Alcohol Alginate
Cost 4 7 9 5 6 7 5 8
Curing Time 3 2 4 10 9 5 6 5
Health Risks/Safety 9 8 8 8 8 7 7 9
Biocompatibility 8 8 9 9 10 7 8 9
Mixing Time 4 6 5 9 9 5 5 8
Handling/Removability 8 5 10 9 8 1 2 9
Solvent 7 9 9 9 9 2 4 9
Thickness 5 1 9 7 6 4 5 9
Appearance 2 10 10 8 6 10 6 6
Stiffness/Rigidity 8 1 9 5 7 8 6 8
Heat Dependence 5 5 5 5 3 4 6 5
Availability 7 10 9 7 9 6 4 7
Density 4 10 10 8 10 5 5 9
Total Score N/A 465 620 562 582 390 392 598

1: Sabu et al.
Atomizing Spray coating is the best PVA
application method

Dipping Atomization
 Surface tension is  Many coatings of small droplets
stronger than the create a rigid coating
attraction to CFMEs  Both 5% and 1% PVA solutions
tested
Funnel Alignment Jig

 Made of thin plastic film

 Consider interaction
between CFMEs and funnel
 Single fiber manufacturing
 slow process
Alignment Grid
 Grid of small funnels to aid
in CFME insertion
 Ground and Reference vias
used as alignment pins to
ensure grid is in the right
place
 Single fiber manufacturing
 slow process
15-fiber
alignment jig
 Load 1 row of vias at a time
 speeds up manufacturing
process
 Base helps align jig
perpendicularly to the vias
The 15-fiber alignment jig provides fast and
easy loading, and is feasible to manufacture.

Property Weight Funnel Grid 15-Fiber Jig

Speed of Loading 4 2 4 8
Ease of Loading 4 2 4 7
Cost to manufacture 1 9 3 1
Feasibility to manufacture 5 9 3 7
Reusability 2 6 6 2
Total Score N/A 82 103 126
Details of the 15-fiber alignment jig
Silver Epoxy is the best alternative to
electrically connect the CFMEs to a PCB

Silver Epoxy Reflow Soldering

 High Precision with small gauge  High Precision with small gauge
needle needle
 Quick (~5 min) curing time at  Requires heating and cooling to
room temperature cure
 Rapid manufacturing  Longer manufacturing time
 High viscosity needed to prevent
bridging
 Previously used in Hengen Lab
for CFME connections
The initial Prototype of our CFME array
manufacturing process will cost $730

 Given the significant investment he has made in CFME array

technology over the last year, Dr. Hengen is willing to invest up
to $10,000 to make 64 channel CFME array technology a reality
 Our prototype will only cost $730
Item Description Price Estimate
PVA used for coating. A few hundred grams
PVA $20
needed.
Atomizer Spray bottle for application of PVA solution. 20 mL $10
3D printed Jig base, outsourced to
Jig Base $100
https://realizeinc.com
15-fiber Jig Materials and Cleanroom time $500
Conductive epoxy to be used to make electrical
Silver Epoxy $50
connections
Other Costs Fiber manipulation tools needed or other costs $50
Total Best guess estimate for total project budget $730
References

 Thomas, Sabu, et al. Fundamental Biomaterials: Polymers.

Woodhead Publishing, 2018.
Questions?