发表机构
ETH Zurich; PZN, Krakow; University of Bologna（苏黎世联邦理工学院; 克拉科夫波兰国家研究所; 博洛尼亚大学）
机构由 AI 辅助整理，请以论文原文为准。AI 中文总结
针对现有超声迷走神经刺激设备笨重且需湿耦合的问题，提出一种集成个性化干耦合耳塞和无线探头的可穿戴系统，经体内实验验证无需凝胶即可有效传输超声，为便携神经调控提供平台。
AI 中文摘要
基于超声（US）的耳廓迷走神经刺激（aVNS）正成为一种多功能、非侵入性的神经调控方式，其应用范围涵盖临床治疗（如疼痛管理、抑郁症）和一般健康应用。然而，现有的大多数基于超声的aVNS系统仍然笨重，并且需要湿性耦合介质（如超声凝胶）来实现空间定位刺激和有效的声学传输。我们提出了一种可穿戴的超声刺激系统，将个性化的干耦合耳塞与电池供电的无线超声探头相结合。该耳塞集成了一个2 MHz的压电换能器，完全封装在Humimic材料中，旨在实现解剖适配和稳定耦合，无需外部施加凝胶。对完全封装耳塞在水中的水听器测量显示，在15 V单极激励下，15 mm处的峰值稀疏压力为0.24 MPa。我们进一步通过在现实佩戴条件下的全干式耳内2 MHz脉冲回波采集，证明了体内可行性，确认了无需耦合凝胶即可实现有效的超声传输。这些结果展示了个性化干声学接口与电池供电刺激电子设备的集成，为研究基于超声的aVNS提供了一个可穿戴平台。未来的研究将集中于功能结果，包括刺激期间的心率变异性和瞳孔反应。
英文摘要
Ultrasound (US)-based auricular vagus nerve stimulation (aVNS) is emerging as a versatile, noninvasive modality for neuromodulation - spanning clinical therapies (e.g., pain management, depression) and general well-being applications. However, most existing US-based aVNS systems remain bulky and require wet coupling media (e.g., ultrasound gel) to achieve both spatially localized stimulation and efficient acoustic transmission. We present a wearable US stimulation system combining a personalized, dry-coupled earpiece with a battery-powered, wireless US probe. The earpiece integrates a 2 MHz piezoelectric transducer fully encapsulated in Humimic material designed for anatomical fit and stable coupling without externally applied gel. Hydrophone measurements of the fully encapsulated earpiece in water give a peak rarefactional pressure of 0.24 MPa at 15 mm for a 15 V unipolar excitation. We further demonstrate in vivo feasibility through fully dry, in-ear 2 MHz pulse-echo acquisitions under realistic wearing conditions, confirming effective US transmission without the need for coupling gel. These results demonstrate the integration of a personalized dry acoustic interface with battery-powered stimulation electronics, providing a wearable platform for investigating US-based aVNS. Future studies will focus on functional outcomes, including heart rate variability and pupillary responses during stimulation.
Comments4 pages, 3 figures
