Pea-sized, battery-free wireless cortical stimulator from Motif Neurotech, shown acutely in a human in 2023 and now in an early feasibility study for treatment-resistant depression.
Independent, source-linked catalog sheet. Not a manufacturer-issued datasheet, regulatory decision or instructions for clinical use. Human evidence does not establish approval. Source-specific restrictions, conflicts and missing specifications are retained below.
Motif DOT magnetoelectric brain stimulator
Motif’s DOT is a roughly 9 mm, battery-free stimulator powered through the magnetoelectric effect, shown on a human motor cortex in 2023. The XCS System is now in an early feasibility study for treatment-resistant depression. Specs beyond size and voltage are Unreported.
Identity
Field
Value and source scope
Device
Motif Digitally programmable Over-brain Therapeutic (DOT) microstimulator; the clinical system is named Motif eXternally powered Cortical Stimulation (XCS) System [1][2][3]
Manufacturer
Motif Neurotech, Inc. (spin-out of Rice University lab of Jacob Robinson) [1][2]
Interface class
Wireless, battery-free stimulator on the dura or skull-side cortex, without penetrating the dura [2][3]
Origin
Company device with Rice University, Baylor College of Medicine and UTHealth Houston collaborators; published in Science Advances [1][2]
First demonstrated
First-in-human intraoperative stimulation reported September 13, 2023 at Baylor St Luke’s Medical Center [1]
First human implant
Unreported
Species studied
Human (acute) and pig (30-day) [2]
Regulatory status
Investigational; ClinicalTrials.gov NCT07594483 early feasibility study of the XCS System for treatment-resistant depression [3]
Function
Stimulates the cortex wirelessly; in the first human demonstration it activated the motor cortex and produced a hand movement; the intended therapy is for treatment-resistant depression [1][2][3]
Target tissue
Left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex for the XCS study; motor cortex in the first acute demonstration [2][3]
Geometry and architecture
Field
Value and source scope
Interface type
Surface electrodes implanted in a skull burr hole, stimulating through the dura [3]
Array layout
Unreported
Electrode count
Unreported
Pitch
Unreported
Electrode lengths
Unreported
Shank width and thickness
Unreported
Tip and exposed site geometry
Unreported
Contact coating
Unreported
Insulation
Unreported
Insertion method
Unreported
Anchoring and fixation
Burr hole in the skull; the XCS study requires skull thickness of 5.5 to 15.5 mm over the target [3]
Electrode and channel physics
Field
Value and source scope
Exposed site area
Unreported
Electrode material
Unreported
Impedance (with measurement frequency)
Unreported
Noise floor or SNR
Unreported
Recording modality
Unreported
Sampling rate
Unreported
Stimulation capability
The prototype delivered 14.5 V of stimulation, per the Rice report [2]
Charge injection limit
Unreported
Reference and ground
Unreported
Tissue interface and bioresponse
Field
Value and source scope
Target tissue
Unreported
Insertion trauma and BBB disruption
Unreported
Vascular disruption risk
Unreported
Micromotion sensitivity
Unreported
Gliosis and encapsulation
Unreported
Neuron loss near sites
Unreported
Foreign-body response mitigation
Unreported
Typical failure modes
Unreported
System architecture
Field
Value and source scope
Onboard electronics
Prototype includes regulation electronics, a small magnet and two magnetoelectric films for wireless data and power [1]
Data path
Wireless data and power through an external transmitter worn on the head, such as a hat or wearable [1][2]
Telemetry bandwidth
Unreported
Sampling rate
Unreported
Power
Battery-free; powered by the magnetoelectric effect from an external transmitter [1][2]
Thermal management
Unreported
Packaging and hermeticity
Unreported
MRI compatibility
Unreported
Surgical complexity
Unreported
Output connectors
Unreported
Performance envelope
Field
Value and source scope
Acute yield
Unreported
Chronic yield
Unreported
Stability over time
Unreported
Longevity
Unreported
Revision and explant experience
Unreported
Adverse events
Unreported
Notable demonstrations
Unreported
Clinical and preclinical evidence
Field
Value and source scope
Human subjects
Prototype: one patient intraoperatively. XCS study enrollment not extracted [1][2]
Preclinical cohort
Unreported
Follow-up duration
Unreported
Indications
Unreported
Trials and registries
NCT07594483: prospective, multi-center, single-arm, open-label early feasibility study of the XCS System [3]
Primary outcomes
Unreported
Key limitations
The 2023 prototype is about 9 mm across (pea-sized); whether the XCS clinical system matches that prototype is not stated in the sources read. Company and press-release claims for the human demonstration [1][2][3]
Engineering tradeoffs
Field
Value and source scope
Strengths
Unreported
Limitations
Unreported
Scaling constraints
Unreported
Version boundary
Hardware values come from the 2023 prototype. The XCS clinical configuration may differ.