Artificial TMAP Signal Generator Based on One-Bit Sigma Delta Modulator for MEC Test

Abstract

The current study proposes three electrode-channels with time delay of artificial nerve signals generator utilized with only a active low pass filter and a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). The XC3S100E FPGA board adopted to design a novel and real-time artificial transmembrane action potential (TMAP). The implementation of one bit Sigma Delta Modulation (SDM) method with linearized technique could be very expensive and complicated products with other technologies option currently available such as a microcontroller due to the fabrication requirements. This technique could employ in many biomedical applications and testing efficiently, especially, in evaluating the multi-electrode cuff system without requiring use of real nerves spike from animal models and saving time and effort, and cost. Moreover, this approach is adopted for further improvement to the signal performances such as resolution, accuracy, differential linearity monotonic DAC, and settling time of the signal waveform without extra hardware or cost required. In addition, the design included three channels of white Gaussian noise uncorrelated for each TMAP signal to simulate the real nerve noise environment, which surrounds the electrode cuff in experimental cases. A noise channels with adjustment level is added to the nerve spike using three sets of taps are employed to provide three channels of noise sources. The Xilinx ISE platform and Mentor Graphics ModelSim tool are used to simulate and implement this, and the results produced are compared. The power consumption of conventional technology is 31 mW, which is significantly higher than the power consumed (21mW) in modern technology. Furthermore, as compared to the usual way, the proposed solution conserved around 10% of the FPGA resources. This technique offers reuse in other applications where delay time, low amplitude voltage signals, and multichannel generator is needed. Moreover, this system offers adjustable waveform signal, noise level, conduction velocity and time delay easily to adequate different applications and tests.