Patent ID: 9474488
Filing Date: 2016-10-25
CPC Classification: A61B

Claim Text:
1. A neural sensor, comprising: (a) a substrate defining an array of vias passing therethrough, each via configured to allow a neurite to grow therethrough; (b) a plurality of conductive surfaces each disposed on the substrate adjacent to a different one of the vias and electrically coupled thereto; (c) a light source configured to direct light toward the substrate; (d) a plurality of groups of quantum dot-based luminescence units, each group of quantum dot-based luminescence units extending upwardly from a different one of the plurality of conductive surfaces and each group of quantum dot-based luminescence units configured to luminesce so as to generate light at a different predetermined wavelength when excited with light from the light source, each quantum dot-based luminescence unit configured to change its luminescence at its predetermined wavelength when it is electrically stimulated by a neural potential generated by a neurite in contact with the conductive surface from which the quantum dot-based luminescence unit extends; and (e) a CCD array configured to detect luminescence from each of the plurality of groups of quantum dot-based luminescence units and configured to generate a signal representative of intensity of each wavelength of light that is detected.