Neural probe interface system and method

A neural probe system comprising:

• at least one neural probe;
• an optical wireless communications interface;
• and
• a processing system, wherein:
• the processing system is configured to process data from the at least one neural probe and
• provide the processed data to the optical wireless communications interface;
• and
• the optical wireless communications interface is configured to communicate the processed data to remote devices using optical wireless communications;
• and,
• the optical communications interface comprises:
• one or more optical communications light sources operable responsive to the processing system, wherein the processed data is encoded in light signals emitted by the optical communications light sources;
• and
• a reference or clock communications module, the reference or clock communications module being configured to communicate a clock or reference signal by transmitting the clock or reference signal by optical wireless communication;
• wherein either
• the reference or clock communications module comprises at least one reference or clock light source configured such that the optical signals emitted by the at least one reference or clock light source are orthogonal or of a different frequency or wavelength to those emitted by the at least one optical communications light source;
• or
• the optical communications interface is configured to encode the clock or reference signal in a data stream used to transmit the processed data derived from the data from the at least one probe interface and transmit the data stream using at least one of the one or more optical communications light sources.

A method of communicating data from a neural probe using an interface that comprises at least one probe interface, an optical wireless communications interface and a processing system, the method comprising:

• receiving data from the neural probe at the at least one probe interface;
• processing, by the processing system, the data from the at least one probe interface and provide the processed data to the optical wireless communications interface;
• transmitting the data via optical wireless communications using the optical wireless communications interface to a plurality of remote devices using optical wireless communications;
• and
• communicating a clock or reference signal by transmitting the clock or reference signal by optical wireless communication by one of:
• communicating the clock or reference signal using optical signals emitted by at least one reference or clock light source, the optical signal emitted by at least one reference or clock light source being orthogonal or of a different frequency or wavelength to those emitted by the at least one optical communications light source;
• or
• encoding the clock or reference signal in a data stream used to transmit the processed data derived from the data from the at least one probe interface and transmitting the data stream using at least one of the one or more optical communications light sources.

A system comprising a plurality of remote devices, a neural probe, and an interface, wherein:

• the interface comprises:
• a probe interface, an optical wireless communications interface and a processing system, wherein:
• the probe interface is configured to interface with the neural probe so as to receive data collected by the neural probe;
• the processing system is configured to process the data from the at least one probe interface and provide the processed data to the optical wireless communications interface;
• and
• the optical wireless communications interface is an optical wireless communications interface configured to communicate the processed data to the plurality of remote devices using optical wireless communication;
• and
• the optical communications interface comprises:
• one or more optical communications light sources operable responsive to the processing system, wherein the processed data is encoded in light signals emitted by the optical communications light sources;
• and
• a reference or clock communications module comprising at least one reference or clock light source, the reference or clock communications module being configured to communicate a clock or reference signal by transmitting the clock or reference signal by optical wireless communication using the reference or clock light source;
• and
• wherein either
• the reference or clock communications module comprises at least one reference or clock light source configured such that the optical signals emitted by the at least one reference or clock light source are orthogonal or of a different frequency or wavelength to those emitted by the at least one optical communications light source;
• or
• the optical communications interface is configured to encode the clock or reference signal in a data stream used to transmit the processed data derived from the data from the at least one probe interface and transmit the data stream using at least one of the one or more optical communications light sources;
• and
• the plurality of remote devices are configured to receive data collected using the neural probe from the communications system or the neural probe system.