Latest innovative contribution from Prof. Mohamad Sawan’s research group: a noncoherent IR-UWB receiver designed for neural recording

Brain-computer interface (BCI), as a hot research field in the global scientific and technological community, is hailed as the "bridge" between the human brain and machines. As we introduced in a review article, impulse radio ultra-wideband (IR-UWB) transceivers show great potential in improving the functionality and performance of multi-channel BCIs. Currently, the development of multi-channel BCIs faces strict requirements for high data rates and ultra-low power consumption. However, IR-UWB transceivers, with their high energy efficiency, flexible data transmission rates, and simple structure, are expected to solve these key challenges, paving the way for the widespread application of BCI devices.

Fig.1. Conceptual Diagram of Neural Recording Wireless Transceivers.

Recently, the CenBRAIN Neurotech presents a noncoherent IR-UWB receiver designed for neural recording implants operating in the 3-5 GHz frequency range. This receiver can achieve high-speed data transmission with extremely low power consumption. Remarkably, the proposed receiver achieves a data rate of 100 Mbps with an impressively low energy efficiency of 78.8 pJ/b and occupies an area of 0.705 square millimeter. Fabricated using 40-nm CMOS technology, the proposed receiver underwent testing in a short-range communication scenario including 1.5 cm tissue layer and 6 cm of free space. The compact size, remarkable energy efficiency, and high data rate capabilities of the proposed receiver meet the stringent requirements of neural recording implants

The work was published in IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Circuits and Systems (IEEE TBioCAS). Razieh Eskandari, a Research Assistant Professor at Westlake University, is the first author of this article. Chair Professor Mohamad Sawan is the corresponding author of this article. Westlake University is the first institution of the paper. We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to Professor Xiaoguang Liu from South University of Science and Technology for their technical guidance in system testing.

Reference:

Eskandari, Razieh, and Mohamad Sawan. "78.8 pJ/b, 100 Mb/s Noncoherent IR-UWB Receiver for Multichannel Neurorecording Implants." IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Circuits and Systems(2024).

More information can be found at the following link:

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/10704566

Abstract:

Fig.2. Block diagram of the proposed receiver.

In this article, we present a novel approach for designing a low-power, low-area impulse radio ultra-wideband (IR-UWB) noncoherent receiver capable of achieving a data rate of 100 Mbps. Our proposed receiver demonstrates the ability to demodulate ON-OFF keying pulse streams across the entire lower frequency band defined by the Federal Communication Commission for UWB applications. The key components of the proposed receiver include a reconfigurable differential two-stage low-noise amplifier, a fully differential squarer, narrow-band interface rejection filters, and variable gain baseband amplifiers. These circuits work cohesively to ensure efficient signal reception and processing. To validate the performance of the proposed receiver, we implemented the design using TSMC 40-nm CMOS process technology. A short-range communication including a 1.5 cm tissue layer is tested utilizing a typical upconversion UWB transmitter fabricated in the same technology. Remarkably, the proposed receiver achieves a data rate of 100 Mbps with an impressively low energy efficiency of 78.8 pJ/b and occupies an area of 0.705 mm2. The compact size, remarkable energy efficiency, and high data rate capabilities of the proposed receiver meet the stringent requirements of neural recording implants.