IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,318,136
Granted Patent B2
US 12,318,136 · App. 18/089,122 · Granted Jun 3, 2025

Wireless neuromodulation via microwave split ring resonator

Inventors: Chen Yang (Newton, MA); Ji-Xin Cheng (Newton, MA); Nan Zheng (Allston, MA); Yueming Li (Brighton, MA); Ying Jiang (Brighton, MA); Lu Lan (Allston, MA); Carolyn Marar (Brighton, MA)
Assignee: Trustees of Boston University
A61B18/1815H01P7/082A61B2018/183A61B2018/1869
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,318,136
App. No.
18/089,122
Granted
Jun 3, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system for neuromodulation includes a split-ring resonator (SRR) comprising a resonance circuit, the SRR being implantable in a cranial target site and a source of microwave signals, wherein the microwave signals are deliverable wirelessly to couple with the SRR to produce a localized electrical field, wherein the localized electrical field inhibits one or more neurons at the cranial target site with submillimeter spatial precision.

Claims (61)

1. A system for neuromodulation, comprising:

a split-ring resonator (SRR) comprising a resonance circuit, the SRR being implantable in a target site; and

a source of microwave signals, wherein the microwave signals are deliverable wirelessly to couple with the SRR to produce a localized electrical field,

wherein the localized electrical field modulates one or more neurons at the target site.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the SRR is powered wirelessly by the microwave signals.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the SRR has a perimeter of approximately one half of the microwave signal wavelength and functions as a resonant antenna.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the SRR has a volume of no more than 1.8 mm 3 .

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the localized electrical field enables region-specific brain modulation.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the localized electrical field enables inhibition of a single nerve.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the localized electrical field modulates one or more neurons with submillimeter wavelength spatial precision.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the submillimeter wavelength spatial precision is in the order of 100 μm.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the SRR enables lower microwave dosage to meet safety limits of 10 W/kg averaged over 6 minutes, which corresponds to an average dosage of 3600 J/kg.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the lower microwave dosage prevents thermal damage.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the source of microwave signals is adjusted to tune a resonance frequency of the SRR.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the SRR comprises at least one of the following: copper; and titanium alloy.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the microwave signals are pulsed signals, and the microwave signals can undergo pulse modification to prolong microwave treatment without inducing thermal toxicity.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system comprises multiple SRRs with varying diameter for implanting at multiple target sites to modulate multiple regions.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the microwave signals are delivered at dosages below the safe exposure limit.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the localized electrical field stimulates one or more neurons at the target site.

17. The system of claim 1 , wherein the localized electrical field inhibits one or more neurons at the target site.

18. The system of claim 1 , wherein the localized electrical field is configured to allow for stimulation and inhibition of one or more neurons at the target site.

19. The system of claim 1 , wherein the SRR includes thermal stimulation capabilities.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the thermal stimulation capabilities of the SRR are at power densities of around 3 W/cm2.

21. A system for neuromodulation, comprising:

a split-ring resonator (SRR) comprising a resonance circuit, the SRR being implantable in a target site; and

a source of microwave signals, wherein the microwave signals are deliverable wirelessly to couple with the SRR to produce a localized electrical field,

wherein the localized electrical field allows for modulation, including stimulation and inhibition, of one or more neurons at the target site.

22. The system of claim 21 , wherein the SRR is powered wirelessly by the microwave signals.

23. The system of claim 21 , wherein the SRR has a perimeter of approximately one half of the microwave signal wavelength and functions as a resonant antenna.

24. The system of claim 21 , wherein the SRR has a volume of no more than 1.8 mm 3 .

25. The system of claim 21 , wherein the localized electrical field enables region-specific brain modulation.

26. The system of claim 21 , wherein the localized electrical field enables inhibition of a single nerve.

27. The system of claim 21 , wherein the localized electrical field modulates one or more neurons with submillimeter wavelength spatial precision.

28. The system of claim 21 , wherein the submillimeter wavelength spatial precision is in the order of 100 μm.

29. The system of claim 21 , wherein the SRR enables lower microwave dosage to meet safety limits of 10 W/kg averaged over 6 minutes, which corresponds to an average dosage of 3600 J/kg.

30. The system of claim 29 , wherein the lower microwave dosage prevents thermal damage.

31. The system of claim 21 , wherein the source of microwave signals is adjusted to tune a resonance frequency of the SRR.

32. The system of claim 21 , wherein the SRR comprises at least one of the following: copper; and titanium alloy.

33. The system of claim 21 , wherein the microwave signals are pulsed signals, and the microwave signals can undergo pulse modification to prolong microwave treatment without inducing thermal toxicity.

34. The system of claim 21 , wherein the system comprises multiple SRRs with varying diameter for implanting at multiple target sites to modulate multiple regions.

35. The system of claim 21 , wherein the microwave signals are delivered at dosages below the safe exposure limit.

36. The system of claim 21 , wherein the SRR includes thermal stimulation capabilities.

37. The system of claim 36 , wherein the thermal stimulation capabilities of the SRR are at power densities of around 3 W/cm2.

38. A method for neuromodulation comprising:

implanting, in a target site, a split-ring resonator (SRR) comprising a resonance circuit; and

delivering microwave signals wirelessly to the SRR to produce a localized electrical field,

wherein the localized electrical field modulates one or more neurons at the target site.

39. The method of claim 38 , further comprising, powering the SRR wirelessly via the microwave signals.

40. The method of claim 38 , wherein the microwave signals are delivered at an average dosage lower than 10 W/kg averaged over 6 minutes, which corresponds to an average dosage of 3600 J/kg.

41. The method of claim 38 , further comprising adjusting the microwave signals to tune a resonance frequency of the SRR.

42. The method of claim 38 , further comprising pulsing the microwave signals, wherein the microwave signals undergo pulse modification to prolong microwave treatment without inducing thermal toxicity.

43. A method for neuromodulation comprising:

implanting, in a target site, a split-ring resonator (SRR) comprising a resonance circuit; and

delivering microwave signals wirelessly to the SRR to produce a localized electrical field,

wherein the localized electrical field allows for stimulation and inhibition of one or more neurons at the target site.

44. The method of claim 43 , further comprising, with the localized electrical field, stimulating the one or more neurons at the target site.

45. The method of claim 43 , further comprising, with the localized electrical field, inhibiting the one or more neurons at the target site.

46. The method of claim 43 , further comprising, powering the SRR wirelessly via the microwave signals.

47. The method of claim 43 , wherein the microwave signals are delivered at an average dosage lower than 10 W/kg averaged over 6 minutes, which corresponds to an average dosage of 3600 J/kg.

48. The method of claim 43 , further comprising adjusting the microwave signals to tune a resonance frequency of the SRR.

49. The method of claim 43 , further comprising pulsing the microwave signals, wherein the microwave signals undergo pulse modification to prolong microwave treatment without inducing thermal toxicity.

Continuity (3)
Continuation 17737710 · May 5, 2022
Provisional Application 63185385 · May 7, 2021
Related Publication 20230140692A1 · May 4, 2023
References Cited (52)
US 10492683B2 · Yalçinkaya · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20150045866A1 · Chen · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20200061368A1 · Towe · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20210069510A1 · Swoyer · 2021 [cited by examiner]
WO 2017136767A1 · 2017 [cited by applicant]
WO 2020092652A1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
A. Marblestone, B. Zamft, Y. Maguire, M. Shapiro, T. Cybulski, J. Glaser, D. Amodei, P. Stranges, R. Kalhor, D. Dalrymple, D. Seo, E. Alon, M. Maharbiz, J. Carmena, J. Rabaey, E. Boyden, G. Church and K. Kording, “Physi… [cited by applicant]
A. Singer, S. Dutta, E. Lewis, Z. Chen, J.C. Chen, N. Verma, B. Avants, A. K. Feldman, J. O'Malley and M. Beierlein, Magnetoelectric materials for miniature, wireless neural stimulation at therapeutic frequencies, Neuro… [cited by applicant]
A. Yan, L. Lin, C. Liu, J. Shi, S. Na and L. V. Wang, “Microwave-induced thermoacoustic tomography through an adult human skull,” Med. Phys., vol. 46, No. 4, p. 1793-1797, 2019. [cited by applicant]
A.J. Shoffstall, J.E. Paiz, D. M. Miller, G. M. Rial, M. T. Willis, D. M. Menendez, S. R Hostler and J. R. Capadona, Potential for thermal damage to the blood-brain barrier during craniotomy: implications for intracorti… [cited by applicant]
A.R. Brunoni, M.A. Nitsche, N. Bolognini, M. Bikson, T. Wagner, L. Merabet, D. J. Edwards, A. Valero-Cabre, A. Rotenberg and A. Pascual-Leone, “Clinical research with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS): chal… [cited by applicant]
A.T. Sidambe, “Biocompatibility of Advanced Manufactured Titanium Implants-Review,” Materials (Basel), vol. 7, No. 12, p. 8168-8188,2014. [cited by applicant]
B. Rosin, M. Slovik, R. Mitelman, M. Rivlin-Etzion, S. N. Haber, Z. Israel, E. Vaadia and H. Bergman, “Closed-loop deep brain stimulation is superior in ameliorating parkinsonism,” Neuron , vol. 72, No. 2, pp. 370-384, … [cited by applicant]
D. K. Piech, B. C. Johnson, K. Shen, M. M. Ghanbari, K. Y. Li, R. M. Neely, J.E. Kay, J.M. Carmena, M. M. Maharbiz and R. Muller, “A wireless millimetre-scale implantable neural stimulator with ultrasonically powered bi… [cited by applicant]
E.A. Navarro, J. Segura, M. Portales and C. Gomez-Perretta de Mateo, “The microwave syndrome: a preliminary study in Spain,” Electromagnetic biology and medicine, vol. 22, No. 2-3, pp. 161-169, 2003. [cited by applicant]
E.S. Boyden, F. Zhang, E. Bamberg, G. Nagel and K. Deisseroth, “Millisecond-timescale, genetically targeted optical control of neural activity,” Nature Neuroscience, vol. 8, No. 9, pp. 1263-1268, 2005. [cited by applicant]
H. S. Mayberg, A. M. Lozano, V. Voon, H. E. McNeely, D. Seminowicz, C. Hamani, J. M. Schwalb and S. H. Kennedy, Deep brain stimulation for treatment-resistant depression, Neuron, vol. 45, No. 5, pp. 651-660., 2005. [cited by applicant]
H. Wachtel, R. Seaman and W. Joines, “Effects of low intensity microwaves on isolated neurons,” Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, vol. 247, No. 1, pp. 46-62, 1975. [cited by applicant]
H.B. Chen, J. H. Deng, Q. Cui, B. Chanda and K. Henzler-Wildman, “Mapping temperature-dependent conformational change in the voltage-sensing domain of an engineered heat-activated K+ channel,” Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA… [cited by applicant]
I.A. Titushkin, V. S. Rao, W. F. Pickard, E.G. Moros, G. Shafirstein and M. R Cho, “Altered Calcium Dynamics Mediates P19-Derived Neuron-Like Cell Responses to Millimeter-Wave Radiation,” Radiation Research, vol. 172, N… [cited by applicant]
“IEEE Standard for Safety Levels with Respect to Human Exposure to Radio Frequency Electromagnetic Fields, 3 kHz to 300 Ghz,” IEEE SID C95.1-2005, 2006, 40 pages. [cited by applicant]
International Search Report and Written Opinion in corresponding Application No. PCT/US22/27929 dated Aug. 29, 2022 (14 pgs.). [cited by applicant]
J. Li, S. Liu, W. Liu, Y. Yu and Y. Wu, “Suppression of firing activities in neuron and neurons of network induced by electromagnetic radiation,” Nonlinear Dynamics, vol. 83, No. 1-2, pp. 801-810, 2016. [cited by applicant]
J. Wells, C. Kao, K. Mariappan, J. Albea, E. D. Jansen, P. Konrad and A. Mahadevan-Jansen, “Optical stimulation of neural tissue in vivo,” Optics letters, vol. 30, No. 5, pp. 504-506, 2005. [cited by applicant]
J.C. Lin, “A new IEEE standard for safety levels with respect to human exposure to radio-frequency radiation,” IEEE Antennas and Propagation Magazine, vol. 48, No. 1, pp. 157-159, 2006. [cited by applicant]
J.S. Ho, Y. Tanabe, S. M. Iyer, A. J. Christensen, L. Grosenick, K. Deisseroth, S. L. Delp and A. S. Poon, “Self-tracking energy transfer for neural stimulation in untethered mice,” Physical Review Applied, vol. 4, No. … [cited by applicant]
K. A. Hossmann and D. Hermann,“Effects of electromagnetic radiation of mobile phones on the central nervous system,” Bioelectromagnetics: Journal of the Bioelectromagnetics Society, The Society for Physical Regulation i… [cited by applicant]
K. L. Montgomery, A. J. Yeh, J. S. Ho, V. Tsao, S. M. Iyer, L. Grosenick, E. A. Ferenczi, Y. Tanabe, K. Deisseroth and S. L. Delp, Wirelessly powered, fully internal optogenetics for brain, spinal and peripheral circuit… [cited by applicant]
K. L. Montgomery, A. J. Yeh, J. S. Ho, V. Tsao, S. M. Iyer, L. Grosenick, E. A. Ferenczi, Y. Tanabe, K. Deisseroth, S.L. Delp and A. S. Y. Poon, “Wirelessly powered, fully internal optogenetics for brain, spinal and per… [cited by applicant]
K.-f. Shen and P.A. Schwartzkroin, “Effects of temperature alterations on population and cellular activities in hippocampal slices from mature and immature rabbit,” Brain Research, vol. 475, No. 2, pp. 305-316, 1988. [cited by applicant]
L.G. Wang, “Measurements and Implications of the Membrane Dipole Potential,” Annu. Rev. Biochem., vol. 81, pp. 615-635, 2012. [cited by applicant]
M. Dogangun, P. E. Ohno, D. Y. Liang, A. C. McGeachy, A.G. Be, N. Dalchand, T. Z. Li, Q. Cui and F. M. Geiger, Hydrogen-Bond Networks near Supported Lipid Bilayers from Vibrational Sum Frequency Generation Experiments a… [cited by applicant]
M. E. P. Didier, O. B. Tarun, P. Jourdain, P. Magistretti and S. Roke, “Membrane water for probing neuronal membrane potentials and ionic fluxes at the single cell level,” Nature Communications, vol. 9, p. 5287, 2018. [cited by applicant]
M. G. Shapiro, M. F. Priest, P.H. Siegel and F. Bezanilla, “Thermal Mechanisms of Millimeter Wave Stimulation of Excitable Cells,” Biophys J, vol. 104, No. 12, p. 2622-2628, 2013. [cited by applicant]
M. N. Shneider and M. Pekker, “Non-thermal mechanism of weak microwave fields influence on neurons,” Journal of Applied Physics, vol. 114, p. 104701, 2013. [cited by applicant]
M.A. Fishman, A. Antony, M. Esposito, T. Deer and R. Levy, “The Evolution of Neuromodulation in the Treatment of Chronic Pain: Forward-Looking Perspectives,” Pain Medicine, vol. 20, No. S1, p. S58-S68, 2019. [cited by applicant]
M.A. Maxime Levesquea, “The kainic acid model of temporal lobe epilepsy,” Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, vol. 37, No. 10, pp. 2887-2899, 2013. [cited by applicant]
N. binti Ismail and M. Z. bin Mohd Jenu, “In Modeling of electromagnetic wave penetration in a human head due to emissions from cellular phone,” 2007 Asia-Pacific Conference on Applied Electromagnetics, IEEE, pp. 1-5, 2… [cited by applicant]
N. Ikeda, O. Hayashida, H. Kameda, H. Ito and T. Matsuda, “Experimental study on thermal damage to dog normal brain,” International Journal of Hyperthermia, vol. 10, No. 4, pp. 553-561, 1994. [cited by applicant]
N. McDannold, N. Vykhodtseva, F. A. Jolesz and K. Hynynen, “MRI investigation of the threshold for thermally induced blood-brain barrier disruption and brain tissue damage in the rabbit brain,” Magnetic Resonance in Med… [cited by applicant]
P. Boon, K. Vonck, V. De Herdt, A. Van Dycke, M. Goethals, L. Goossens, M. Van Zandijcke, T. De Smedt, I. Dewaele and R. Achten, “Deep brain stimulation in patients with refractory temporal lobe epilepsy,” Epilepsia, vo… [cited by applicant]
P. Davis and J. Gaitanis, “Neuromodulation for the Treatment of Epilepsy: A Review of Current Approaches and Future Directions,” Clinical Therapeutics, vol. 42, No. 7, pp. 1140-1154, 2020. [cited by applicant]
P.S. Yarmolenko, E. J. Moon, C. Landon, A. Manzoor, D. W. Hochman, B. L. Viglianti and M. W. Dewhirst, Thresholds for thermal damage to normal tissues: An update, International Journal of Hyperthermia, vol. 27, No. 4, p… [cited by applicant]
R. C. Beason and P. Semm, “Responses of neurons to an amplitude modulated microwave stimulus,” Neuroscience Letters, vol. 333, No. 3, pp. 175-178, 2002. [cited by applicant]
R. Hall, “Pure Rotational Spectrum of Water Vapor,” Journal of Chemical Physics, vol. 47, No. 7, p. 2454, 1967. [cited by applicant]
S. Chowdhury, B. W. Jarecki and B. Chanda, “A Molecular Framework for Temperature-Dependent Gating of Ion Channels,” Cell, vol. 158, pp. 1148-1158., 2014. [cited by applicant]
S. Romanenko, P.H. Siegel, D. A. Wagenaar and V. Pikov, “Effects of millimeter wave irradiation and equivalent thermal heating on the activity of individual neurons in the leech ganglion,” Journal of Neurophysiology, vo… [cited by applicant]
T. Mohoric and U. Bren, “How does microwave irradiation affect aqueous solutions of polar solutes?,” J. Mol. Liqud., vol. 266, pp. 218-228, 2018. [cited by applicant]
T. Mohoric and U. Bren, “Microwave irradiation affects ion pairing in aqueous solutions of alkali halide salts,” J. Chem. Phys., vol. 146, p. 044504, 2017. [cited by applicant]
V. Walsh and A. Cowey, “Transcranial magnetic stimulation and cognitive neuroscience,” Nature Reviews Neuroscience, vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 73-80., 2000. [cited by applicant]
Y. Jiang, H.J. Lee, L. Lan, H.-a. Tseng, C. Yang, H.-Y. Man, X. Han and J.-X. Cheng, “Optoacoustic brain stimulation at submillimeter spatial precision,” Nature Communications, vol. 11, No. 1, pp. 1-9, 2020. [cited by applicant]
Z.-D. Deng, S. H. Lisanby and A. V. Peterchev, “Electric field depth-focality tradeoff in transcranial magnetic 7 stimulation: simulation comparison of 50 coil designs,” Brain stimulation, vol. 6, No. 1, pp. 1-13, 2013. [cited by applicant]