The flexDrive: an ultra-light implant for optical control and highly parallel chronic recording of neuronal ensembles in freely moving mice

By following this to its logical conclusion we would be able to implant these into human subjects and listen in to the signals that neurons send to each other to enable neuroplasticity. With that knowledge we can make neuroplasticity repeatable and assured. And close to 100% recovery can be acheived. If you don't have big goals you will never get there. Or you can be like the pathetic stroke associations that just send out press releases and their board of directors that will not take a chance.  Bah humbug.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23717267

Voigts J, Siegle JH, Pritchett DL, Moore CI.

Source

Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA, USA ; Department of Neuroscience, Brown University Providence, RI, USA.

Abstract

Electrophysiological recordings from ensembles of neurons in behaving mice are a central tool in the study of neural circuits. Despite the widespread use of chronic electrophysiology, the precise positioning of recording electrodes required for high-quality recordings remains a challenge, especially in behaving mice. The complexity of available drive mechanisms, combined with restrictions on implant weight tolerated by mice, limits current methods to recordings from no more than 4-8 electrodes in a single target area. We developed a highly miniaturized yet simple drive design that can be used to independently position 16 electrodes with up to 64 channels in a package that weighs ~2 g. This advance over current designs is achieved by a novel spring-based drive mechanism that reduces implant weight and complexity. The device is easy to build and accommodates arbitrary spatial arrangements of electrodes. Multiple optical fibers can be integrated into the recording array and independently manipulated in depth. Thus, our novel design enables precise optogenetic control and highly parallel chronic recordings of identified single neurons throughout neural circuits in mice.

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