Restoring Tactile Sensation using a Tribo-Electric Nano-Generator

Hypoesthesia (commonly known as numbness) resulted from a peripheral nerve injury is a common pathology. For those who suffer from it, it is a major cause of dysfunctionality and distress. Current solutions for this acute problem include nerve repair surgeries and wearable or implanted neuro-prosthetics. the success rates of nerve repair surgeries are not satisfying enough. Neuro-prosthetics are expensive, demand constant maintenance and may provoke discomfort for the patient. In order to suggest an alternate solution, we defined 7 criterions of which a tactile sensation restoration system should comply- flexible, cost effective, self powered, dynamic pressure range, scalable, durable, bio-compatible. In order to meet all the design criterions described above, we suggest the use of a tactile sensor that is based on a Tribo-Electric Nano-Generator (TENG). Our suggested Tactile Sensation TENG (Ts-TENG) will be implanted under the skin of the desensitized finger. Upon activation of pressure on the device following a mechanical touch of the finger with an outer object, an electrical signal generated by the Ts-TENG will be delivered using isolated cables to a stimulating cuff electrode wrapped around the closest undamaged afferent nerve fiber. Thus, the circle between a mechanoreceptive device and the sensory nerves can be closed, and a touch sensation signal can be delivered to the CNS. in this research we have designed and manufactured our ts-TENG device. In the next step, we have tested and characterized
the device to meet the criterions we presented earlier, using our experimental system for output voltagemeasurement. We connected the circuit powered by our device to an In Vitro model mimicking the nerve stimulating electrodes, in order to see if we can close the entire loop - from a mechanical pressure to a neuronal response. We are currently testing the device in animal behavioral experiments.