Neural recording front-end IC using action potential detection and analog buffer with digital delay for data compression

This paper presents a neural recording analog front-end IC intended for simultaneous neural recording with action potential (AP) detection for data compression in wireless multichannel neural implants. The proposed neural recording front-end IC detects the neural spikes and sends only the preserved AP information for wireless transmission in order to reduce the overall power consumption of the neural implant. The IC consists of a low-noise neural amplifier, an AP detection circuit and an analog buffer with digital delay. The neural amplifier makes use of a current-reuse technique to maximize the transconductance efficiency for attaining a good noise efficiency factor. The AP detection circuit uses an adaptive threshold voltage to generate an enable signal for the subsequent functional blocks. The analog buffer with digital delay is employed using a finite impulse response (FIR) filter which preserves the AP waveform before the enable signal as well as provides low-pass filtering. The neural recording front-end IC has been designed using standard CMOS 0.18-μm technology occupying a core area of 220 μm by 820 μm.