Patent ID: 8012189
Filing Date: 2011-09-06
Classification: A61N

Abstract:
1. An apparatus comprising: a plurality of laser light sources configured to generate a plurality of light signals; a transmission medium that includes a plurality of waveguides that are operatively coupled to the plurality of laser light sources and that are configured to transmit the plurality of light signals from the plurality of laser light sources to a plurality of nerves outside of, and leading from, each of one or more inner-ear vestibular organs of a living animal; an optical head operatively coupled to the transmission medium and configured to direct the plurality of light signals transmitted through the transmission medium toward the one or more nerves of each of the one or more inner-ear vestibular organs of the animal, wherein the optical head includes a plurality of spatially separated optical emitters each of which selectively emits one or more of the plurality of light signals, wherein the plurality of emitters emit light from locations on an emitting face of the optical head having a fixed spatial separation from one another, wherein at least three of the plurality of emitters direct the plurality of light signals in substantially parallel directions, and wherein the optical head is implantable in the animal; at least one sensor configured to sense one or more conditions that affect balance of the animal during a test of the implantable optical head that determines which ones of the spatially separated optical emitters are most effective for optical stimulation of desired nerves of the one or more nerves, wherein the one or more conditions are related to nerve action potentials (NAPs) triggered in the one or more nerves during the test, wherein the test causes emitters of the plurality of emitters to emit light signals toward the one or more nerves based on a search algorithm that searches through the plurality of emitters, and wherein the most effective emitters are determined at least partly based on one or more signals generated by the at least one sensor as a result of the light signals emitted during the test; and a controller adapted to selectively control the plurality of light signals from each of the plurality of laser light sources such that the plurality of light signals provide controlled optical stimulation to the desired nerves in order to trigger nerve action potentials (NAPs) in the desired nerves, wherein the controller is programmed to use results of the test of the implantable optical head such that the selective control of the plurality of light signals results in light signals that the optical head emits through those selected emitters of the plurality of emitters that were determined to be most effective for optical stimulation of the desired nerves.