Neural prosthetic with touch-like sensing

An implantable neural prosthetic sensor device that is implanted in tissue, comprising:

• a fixed frequency oscillator that is arranged to generate a first signal having a first frequency;
• a variable frequency oscillator that includes a tuned circuit, said variable frequency oscillator being responsive to a closed loop control signal, wherein the variable frequency oscillator is arranged to generate a second signal having a second frequency, wherein the second frequency is altered in response to environmental conditions associated with the tissue;
• a comparator that is arranged to compare the first frequency to the second frequency to provide thereby the closed loop control signal;
• and
• a signal processor arranged to evaluate the closed loop control signal and to provide thereby sensory information associated with the environmental conditions associated with the tissue.

An implantable neural prosthetic sensor device that is implanted into tissue, comprising:

• a fixed frequency oscillator that is arranged to generate a first signal having a first frequency, a first amplitude, and a first phase;
• a tuned circuit that is coupled to the fixed frequency oscillator circuit and arranged to receive the first signal, wherein the tuned circuit is arranged to provide a second signal having a second frequency, a second amplitude, and a second phase, wherein at least one of the second frequency, the second amplitude, and the second phase is altered as influenced by the tissue environment;
• and
• a signal processor circuit that is arranged to compare the first signal to the second signal to provide sensory information that is associated with the environmental conditions associated with the tissue.