The Utah Integrated Neural Interface–a fully integrated next generation neural interface for chronic implantation

Professor -Ing. Florian Solzbacher
Director Microsystems Laboratory
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
University of Utah

The presentation will give a brief overview over current harsh environment MEMS technology and introduce to the state of the art neural signal recording and processing. A new concept for a highly integrated neural interface consisting of a thinned Utah Electrode Array (UEA), a CMOS based signal processor (low noise amplifier, peak detector) and communications module (forward and reverse telemetry link, RF module) and an LTCC 1 based high permeability ferrite coil for inductive power coupling. System integration makes use of biocompatible high-density flip-chip assembly. Silicon carbide, Parylene and/or Silicone are intended for use as hermetic encapsulating material. Potential encapsulation failure modes will be discussed.

Dr. Solzbacher has received his M.Sc. EE from the Technical University Berlin in 1997 and his Ph.D. from the Technical University Ilmenau in 2003. He was a research associate at the Fraunhofer Institutes for Biomedical Technology IBMT and for Reliability and Microintegration IZM.
He is co-founder of First Sensor Technology Inc., an established supplier to the automotive and process control industry in the USA, Europe and Asia. He is Chairman of the German Association for Sensor Technology AMA, a member of the MEMS expert advisory board to the German Ministry of Education and Research and serves on a number of company and public private partnership advisory boards like e.g. the Center for Microsystems, ZEMI, Berlin. He is author of over 30 publications and book chapters on MEMS devices, technologies and markets and has served as (co-)organizer of SOI and MEMS workshops and various international conferences, like e.g. the Advanced Microsystems for Automotive Applications International Conference AMAA in 2001, 2002 and 2003.
He now holds faculty positions in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Materials Science and Bioengineering at the University of Utah and is Director of the Microsystems Lab.