Research Overview

Zhi Yang’s lab—the NeuroElectronics lab—studies emerging brain interface technologies and implantable neuroelectronics. We believe neuro-AI chips, in the future, will be able to read and understand the human thoughts—tiny devices that bridge the mind and the world. Over the past seven years, we have been focusing on neural recording, processing, and stimulation chips, from technology development to animal experiments, and recently human clinical trials.

Our research can have exciting applications. For example, it will allow amputee patients to control a dexterous robotic hand to open a door with the key, and enable new electroceuticals therapies to treat diseases and conditions where current drug or surgery based therapies fall short.

Education

• BS, Electrical Engineering, Zhejiang University, 2004
• MS, Electrical Engineering, University of California at Santa Cruz, 2007
• PhD, Electrical Engineering, University of California at Santa Cruz, 2010

Selected Publications

M. Keshtkaran and Z. Yang, Noise-Robust Unsupervised Spike Sorting Based on Discriminative Subspace Learning with Outlier Handling, Journal of Neural Engineering, 2017.

KH. Teng, T. Wu, X. Liu, Z. Yang, and CH. Heng, A 400MHz Wireless Neural Signal Processing IC with 625× On-Chip Data Reduction and Reconfigurable BFSK/QPSK Transmitter Based on Sequential Injection Locking, IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Circuits and Systems, 2017.
AT. Nguyen, J. Xu, and Z. Yang, A Bio-inspired Redundant Sensing Architecture, Advances in Neural Information Processing Systems, pages 2379-2387, December 2016.

Z. Yang, J. Xu, A. T. Nguyen, T. Wu, W. Zhao, and T. Tam, Neuronix Enables Continuous, Simultaneous Neural Recording and Electrical Microstimulation, International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, August 2016.

J. Xu, T. Wu, W. Liu, and Z. Yang, A Frequency-Shaping Neural Recorder with 3-pF Input Capacitance and 11 plus 4.5 bits Dynamic Range, IEEE Transaction on Biomedical Circuits and System, volume 8, number 4, pages 510-527, August 2014.

M. Keshtkaran and Z. Yang, A Fast, Robust Algorithm for Power Line Interference Cancellation in Neural Recording, Journal of Neural Engineering, volume 11, 17pp, April 2014.

J. Xu, T. Wu, and Z. Yang, A New System Architecture for Future Long-Term High Density Neural Recording, IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems II, volume 60, issue 7, pages 402-406, July 2013.

K. Chen, Z. Yang, L. Hoang, J. Weiland, M. Humayun, and W. Liu, An Integrated 256-Channel Epiretinal Prosthesis, Journal of Solid-State Circuits, volume 45, pages 1-11, September 2010.

W. Liu and Z. Yang, Engineering Hope with Biomimetic Microelectronic Systems, European Solid-State Circuit Conferences, pages 17-26, September 2010.

K. Chen, Z. Yang, L. Hoang, J. Weiland, M. Humayun, and W. Liu, An Integrated 256-Channel Epiretinal Prosthesis, Journal of Solid-State Circuits, volume 45, pages 1-11, September 2010.

Z. Yang, Q. Zhao, E. Keefer, and W. Liu, Noise Characterization, Modeling, and Reduction for in Vivo Neural Recording, Advances in Neural Information Processing Systems, pages 2160-2168, December 2009.

Z. Yang, Q. Zhao, and W. Liu, Improving Spike Separation Using Waveform Derivative, Journal of Neural Engineering, doi: 10.1088/1741-2560/6/4/046006, August 2009.

Z. Yang, Q. Zhao, and W. Liu, Spike Feature Extraction Using Informative Samples, Advances in Neural Information Processing Systems, pages 1865-1872, December 2008.

M. Chae, W. Liu, Z. Yang, T. Chen, J. Kim, M. Sivaprakasam, and M. Yuce, A 128-channel 6mW Wireless Neural Recording IC with On-the-fly Spike Sorting and UWB Transmitter, IEEE ISSCC Digest of Technical Papers, pages 146-147, February 2008.

Z. Yang, W. Liu, and E. Basham, Inductor Modeling in Wireless Links for Implantable Electronics, IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, volume 43, pages 3851-3860, October 2007.