"cPMUT Neuromodulation Paper"

"Background and Objective: Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) neuromodulation is a promising approach for noninvasive modulation of deep brain activity. Piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducers (PMUTs) offer significant advantages for miniaturized, low-power, and implantable systems; however, direct functional validation in the awake brain remains limited.Methods: A lead-free curved PMUT (cPMUT) array was integrated with wide-field optical imaging of neuronal fluorescence and hemodynamics to study cPMUT neuromodulation effects in awake mouse brain.  Results: Neuronal fluorescence activity was quantified as a function of drive voltage and transmit frequency to optimize ultrasound stimulation parameters. Interleaved assessment of cortical hemodynamics further established neurovascular coupling and validated neuromodulation. All results were obtained for spatial-peak-temporal average intensity (ISPTA) values in the range of 1 mW\/cm2 to 8 mW\/cm\u00b2; well within standard safety limits.Conclusion and Significance: These findings, for the first time to our knowledge, provide direct functional evidence that PMUT platforms can effectively modulate awake brain activity; supporting their future use in multimodal and implantable clinical systems."