Electrode array for use in connection with a living body and method of manufacture

A capacitor electrode array for capacitively coupling with the tissue of a living body, the capacitor electrode array comprising:

• a base having a support surface,
• a plurality of electrically conductive protuberances extending substantially perpendicular to and from said support surface of said base in a two dimensional array, each of said protuberances having a tip,
• a dielectric coat covering said protuberances for capacitively coupling each of said protuberances with the tissue, and
• a plurality of conductors incorporated onto said base and electrically connected to said protuberances for conducting electric signals to or from said protuberances.

A method for establishing electrical contact with a nerve from a living body, the method comprising the following steps:

• step (a):
• contacting the nerve with a combination of two electrode arrays including a first electrode array, a second electrode array, and indexing means,
• the first electrode array including a first base, a first array of electrically conductive protuberances supported by the first base, and a first set of conductors connected to the first array of protuberances,
• the second electrode array including a second base, a second array of electrically conductive protuberances supported by the second base, and a second set of conductors connected to the second array of protuberances, and
• the indexing means extending from the first and second bases for indexing and aligning the first electrode array opposite the second electrode array with the nerve sandwiched between the first and second electrode arrays and with the first and second array of protuberances penetrating and contacting the nerve, and
• step (b):
• connecting both the first and second set of conductors of each electrode array with electrical circuits.

A method for capacitively coupling to a nerve from a living body, the method comprising the following steps:

• step (a):
• contacting the nerve with a combination of two capacitive electrode arrays including a first capacitive electrode array, a second capacitive electrode array, and indexing means,
• the first capacitive electrode array including a first base, a first array of electrically conductive protuberances supported by the first base, and a first set of conductors connected to the first array of protuberances, and
• the second capacitive electrode array including a second base, a second array of electrically conductive protuberances supported by the second base, and a second set of conductors connected to the second array of protuberances, and
• the indexing means for indexing and aligning the first capacitive electrode array opposite the second capacitive electrode array with the nerve sandwiched between the first and second capacitive electrode arrays and with the first and second arrays of protuberances penetrating and capacitively coupling with the nerve, and
• step (b):
• connecting both the first and second set of conductors of each electrode array with electrical circuits.

A method for making an electrode array comprising the steps of:

• (a) obtaining a base with a non-conductive surface;
• (b) depositing a layer of electrically conductive material atop the non-conductive surface;
• (c) forming conductors on the base by partially removing the layer of electrically conductive material;
• (d) defining sites upon the conductors for an array of protuberances;
• (e) depositing electrically conductive protuberances upon the sites for the array;
• and
• (f) forming a dielectric coat upon the protuberances.