Method for amplifying signals from individual nerve fascicles

A method of amplifying a nerve signal in a subject, comprising:

• disposing a portion of a nerve within a free tissue graft and securing the portion of the nerve therein, the free tissue graft being an autograft of tissue that is harvested from the subject, devascularized, and deinnervated prior to being surgically attached to the subject;
• surgically attaching the free tissue graft directly to the subject such that the free tissue graft is entirely surrounded by and in direct contact with non-grafted tissue of the subject;
• implanting inside of the free tissue graft at least one electrode for electrical communication with the nerve, wherein the portion of the nerve regenerates within the free tissue graft so that the nerve produces an electrical signal having a voltage amplitude of greater than or equal to about 150 microvolts without any external electrical input;
• and
• wherein the electrical signal is received by processing circuitry of an implant device through the at least one electrode, the processing circuitry storing signal data corresponding to the electrical signal in a memory accessible to the processing circuitry.