A cable-tie-type parylene cuff electrode for peripheral nerve interfaces

We have designed, fabricated and characterized a cable-tie-type parylene cuff electrode for peripheral nerve interfaces, whose diameter is adjustable to accommodate the nerve properly during implantation. Cuffs made of thin and flexible parylene minimize mechanical damage to surrounding tissues after implantation. Moreover, the integrated parylene cable and pads facilitate the connection with external circuits through wired or wireless interfaces. Using the fabricated cable-tie-type parylene cuff electrodes, acute neural recoding and stimulation tests were performed on the rat sciatic nerve to verify the capabilities of recording the neural activity and selectively stimulating different nerve fascicles.