ULTRAMINIATURE IMPLANTABLE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR

THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROPOSAL IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MINIATURE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR SUITABLE FOR PERMANENT IMPLANTATION IN THE BODY. SUCH A DEVICE IS INTENDED TO SERVE AS A CONNECT/DISCONNECT POINT FOR NEURAL PROSTHESES, ENABLING REPLACEMENT OF FAULTY COMPONENTS WITHOUT NECESSITATING REMOVAL OF AN ENTIRE IMPLANTED SYSTEM. SEVERAL DIFFERENT ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED IN CONJUNCTION WITH COCHLEAR IMPLANT DEVICES. RELIABLE ELECTRICAL OPERATION HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED IN VITRO FOR OVERTEN MONTHS IN ONE CONNECTOR. HOWEVER, THE CONNECTOR DESIGN IS EXCESSIVELY LARGE FOR PRACTICAL HUMAN IMPLANTATION. WE PROPOSE TO DEVELOP A LOW PROFILE CONNECTOR 0.74" LONG X 0.62" WIDE X 0.120" THICK. THE CONNECTOR FEATURES A FOUR PIN PLATINUM-IRIDIUM CONTACT DESIGN, PRESSURIZED SILASTIC(R)SEALING GASKETS, A POLYSULFONE BODY MATED VIA A TITANIUM COMPRESSION MECHANISM AND TEFLON(R)-INSULATED PLATINUM-IRIDIUM LEADWIRES. THE DESIGN IS OPTIMIZED TO MINIMIZE PIN TO PIN ELECTROLYTIC CORROSION, A FACTOR WHICH CURRENTLY LIMITS THE LIFE OF SUCH CONNECTORS. EIGHT OR TWELVE PIN DESIGN CAN BE ACHIEVED WITH MINOR SIZE INCREASES. SHORT TERM EXPERIMENTS UNDER THE MOST SEVERE CONDITIONS IN A SALINE ENVIRONMENT WILL ESTABLISH FEASIBILITY. IF PHASE I IS SUCCESSFUL, PROTOTYPE CONNECTORS WILL BE FABRICATED FOR ANIMAL STUDIES, LEADING TOWARDS CLINICAL TRIALS DURING PHASE II. ULTIMATELY THE IMPLANTABLE CONNECTOR WILL FUNCTION AS A SUBSYSTEM DISCONNECT FOR NEURAL PROSTHETIC SYSTEMS, MUSCLE STIMULATORS, ARTIFICIAL ORGANS, AND PHYSIOLOGICAL SENSORS.