Electromagnetic modeling and design optimization of intra-cortical micro-electrodes

This study aims to investigate the electrodynamics of intra-cortical micro-electrodes and the effects of the different design parameters on the electrode electrical functionality. Finite difference time domain (FDTD) was used to create a low frequency electromagnetic model for the stimulation electrodes and the surrounding brain tissue. The paper also presents the effect of mechanical reinforcement metal planes on the electric field distribution within the brain tissue. The knowledge extracted from the simulation results will be used in the optimization of micro-electrode architectures and stimulation pads layouts in order to improve the electrodes functionality and biocompatibility.