Towards a Low-Power Active Epidural Spinal Cord Array Controlled Through a Two Wire Interface

The design of a very small low-power IC driving 16 electrodes in any combination, for testing different epidural stimulation patterns in freely moving rats using a two wire interface is presented. A scheme is proposed, to receive power, data, clocking information and stimulus current pulses from an external source via the two wires. This is achieved by a combination of time multiplexing and pulse width modulation. The architecture of the system is discussed and simulated results of some building blocks are presented. Keywords - time-division multiplexing; pulse width modulation, epidural stimulation; implantable electrode driving system.