US 11,925,800 B2
Device implantation using a cartridge
Robin E. Young, San Francisco, CA (US); and Philip N. Sabes, San Francisco, CA (US)
Assigned to NEURALINK, INC., Fremont, CA (US)
Filed by Neuralink Corp., Fremont, CA (US)
Filed on Jun. 28, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/360,369.
Application 17/360,369 is a continuation of application No. 16/569,590, filed on Sep. 12, 2019, granted, now 11,103,695.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/731,446, filed on Sep. 14, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0346687 A1, Nov. 11, 2021
Int. Cl. A61N 1/05 (2006.01); A61B 17/34 (2006.01); A61N 1/36 (2006.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01); A61B 90/00 (2016.01); A61N 1/372 (2006.01)
CPC A61N 1/0534 (2013.01) [A61B 17/3403 (2013.01); A61B 17/3468 (2013.01); A61N 1/36082 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00026 (2013.01); A61B 2090/062 (2016.02); A61N 1/0531 (2013.01); A61N 1/36064 (2013.01); A61N 1/37205 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for robotically implanting a probe device into biological tissue, comprising:
a biocompatible probe;
an integrated circuit (IC) chip tethered to the probe;
a cartridge comprising a temporary attachment surface by which the probe is removably coupled to the cartridge;
a needle configured to reversibly engage with the probe, wherein reversibly engaging the needle with the probe comprises rotating the needle and passing a point of the needle through a receiving feature of the probe;
a robotic arm configured to hold the needle;
a microprocessor controller configured to control the robotic arm and the needle in order to:
remove the probe from the temporary attachment surface using the needle;
pierce the biological tissue with the needle and the probe;
withdraw the needle while leaving the probe within the biological tissue; and
detach the IC chip from the cartridge and leave the IC chip with the biological tissue.