Dr. Jonathon D. Wells Profile

Dr. Jonathon D. Wells

Senior Scientist at Lockheed Martin Aculight

SPIE Involvement:

Author

SPIE Journal Paper | 23 February 2015 Open Access

Infrared neural stimulation of human spinal nerve roots in vivo

Jonathan Cayce, Jonathon Wells, Jonathan Malphrus, Chris Kao, Sharon Thomsen, Noel Tulipan, Peter Konrad, E. Duco Jansen, Anita Mahadevan-Jansen

NPh, Vol. 2, Issue 01, 015007, (February 2015) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.10.1117/1.NPh.2.1.015007

KEYWORDS: Nerve, Infrared radiation, Tissues, Electromyography, Safety, In vivo imaging, Optical fibers, Surgery, Diagnostics, Tissue optics

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SPIE Journal Paper | 3 September 2013 Open Access

Analytical approaches for determining heat distributions and thermal criteria for infrared neural stimulation

Bryan Norton, Meghan Bowler, Jonathon Wells, Matthew Keller

JBO, Vol. 18, Issue 09, 098001, (September 2013) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.10.1117/1.JBO.18.9.098001

KEYWORDS: Tissue optics, Tissues, Thermography, Temperature metrology, Biological research, Diffusion, Infrared radiation, Capacitance, In vivo imaging, Convolution

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Proceedings Article | 18 February 2012 Paper

Selective, high-optrode-count, artifact-free stimulation with infrared light via intrafascicular Utah slanted optrode arrays

Gregory Clark, Sylvana Schister, Noah Ledbetter, David Warren, Florian Solzbacher, Jonathon Wells, Matthew Keller, Steven Blair, Loren Rieth, Prashant Tathireddy

Proceedings Volume 8207, 82075I (2012) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.907627

KEYWORDS: Nerve, Optical fibers, Electrodes, Axons, Infrared radiation, Sensors, Tissue optics, Silicon, Action potentials, Natural surfaces

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Proceedings Article | 9 February 2012 Paper

In vitro testing of dual-mode thulium microsurgical laser

Matthew Keller, James Stafford, Brandon Schmidt, Jonathon Wells

Proceedings Volume 8207, 820711 (2012) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.909516

KEYWORDS: Tissues, Laser ablation, Fiber lasers, Laser tissue interaction, Pulsed laser operation, Breast, Continuous wave operation, Laser therapeutics, YAG lasers

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Proceedings Article | 18 February 2011 Paper

Development of VCSELs for optical nerve stimulation

Matthew Dummer, Klein Johnson, Mary Hibbs-Brenner, Matthew Keller, Tim Gong, Jonathon Wells, Mark Bendett

Proceedings Volume 7883, 788351 (2011) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.875750

KEYWORDS: Vertical cavity surface emitting lasers, Tissue optics, Tissues, Semiconducting wafers, Reflectivity, Nerve, Wafer-level optics, Temperature metrology, Mirrors, Continuous wave operation

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Proceedings Article | 24 February 2009 Paper

Optical nerve stimulation for a vestibular prosthesis

David Harris, Steven Bierer, Jonathon Wells, James Phillips

Proceedings Volume 7180, 71800R (2009) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.810197

KEYWORDS: Nerve, Electrodes, Eye, Bone, Optical fibers, Infrared radiation, Platinum, Ear, Sensors, Action potentials

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Proceedings Article | 11 March 2008 Paper

Photostimulation of sensory neurons of the rat vagus nerve

Albert Rhee, Gong Li, Jonathon Wells, Joseph P. Kao

Proceedings Volume 6854, 68540E (2008) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.772037

KEYWORDS: Photostimulation, Neurons, Nerve, Calcium, Sensors, Infrared radiation, Infrared sensors, Tissue optics, Molecules, Tissues

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Proceedings Article | 11 March 2008 Paper

Laser stimulation of the auditory system at 1.94 µm and microsecond pulse durations

Agnella Izzo, Joseph Walsh, Heather Ralph, Jim Webb, Jonathon Wells, Mark Bendett, Claus-Peter Richter

Proceedings Volume 6854, 68540C (2008) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.761315

KEYWORDS: Tissue optics, Pulsed laser operation, Nerve, Electrodes, Neurons, Optical fibers, Absorption, Tissues, Acoustics, Action potentials

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Proceedings Article | 20 February 2008 Paper

Frontiers in optical stimulation of neural tissues: past, present, and future

Jonathon Wells, Mark Bendett, Jim Webb, Claus Richter, Agnella Izzo, E. Duco Jansen, Anita Mahadevan-Jansen

Proceedings Volume 6854, 68540B (2008) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.776988

KEYWORDS: Nerve, Tissues, Tissue optics, Electrodes, Safety, Neurons, Infrared radiation, Action potentials, Nervous system, Brain

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Proceedings Article | 1 March 2006 Paper

Biophysical mechanisms responsible for pulsed low-level laser excitation of neural tissue

Jonathon Wells, Chris Kao, Peter Konrad, Anita Mahadevan-Jansen, E. Duco Jansen

Proceedings Volume 6084, 60840X (2006) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.655239

KEYWORDS: Nerve, Laser tissue interaction, Tissue optics, Pulsed laser operation, Tissues, Temperature metrology, Alexandrite lasers, Natural surfaces, Absorption, Free electron lasers

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Background/Objective: The traditional method of stimulating neural activity has been based on electrical methods and remains the gold standard to date despite inherent limitations. We have previously shown a new paradigm to in vivo neural activation based on pulsed infrared light, which provides a contact-free, spatially selective, artifact-free method without incurring tissue damage that may have significant advantages over electrical stimulation in a variety of diagnostic and therapeutic applications. The goal of this study was to investigate the physical mechanism of this phenomenon, which we propose is a photo-thermal effect from transient tissue temperature changes resulting in direct or indirect activation of transmembrane ion channels causing propagation of the action potential. Methods: Rat sciatic nerve preparation was stimulated in vivo with the Holmium:YAG laser (2.12μm), Free Electron Laser (2.1μm), Alexandrite laser (690nm), and the prototype for a solid state commercial laser nerve stimulator built by Aculight (1.87μm) to determine contributions of photobiological responses from laser tissue interactions, including temperature, pressure, electric field, and photochemistry, underlying the biophysical mechanism of stimulation. Single point temperature measurements were made with a microthermocouple adjacent to the excitation site, while an infrared camera was used for 2-D radiometry of the irradiated surface. Displacement from laser-induced pressure waves or thermoelastic expansion was measured using a PS-OCT system. Results: Results exclude a direct photochemical, electric field, or pressure wave effect as the mechanism of optical stimulation. Measurements show relative small contributions from thermoelastic expansion (300 nm) with the laser parameters used for nerve stimulation. The maximum change in tissue temperature is about 9°C (average increase of 3.66 °C) at stimulation threshold radiant exposures. Conclusion: Neural activation with pulsed laser-light occurs by a transient thermally induced mechanism. Future experiments will reveal if this effect is through direct membrane interaction or facilitated through an indirect effect leading to membrane depolarization.

SPIE Journal Paper | 1 November 2005 Open Access

Application of infrared light for in vivo neural stimulation

Jonathon Wells, Chris Kao, E. Duco Jansen, Peter Konrad, Anita Mahadevan-Jansen

JBO, Vol. 10, Issue 06, 064003, (November 2005) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.10.1117/1.2121772

KEYWORDS: Nerve, Tissue optics, Absorption, Laser tissue interaction, Tissues, Free electron lasers, Infrared radiation, Neurons, Safety, In vivo imaging

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Showing 5 of 11 publications

Conference Committee Involvement (2)

Photons and Neurons II

25 January 2010 | San Francisco, California, United States

Photons and Neurons

26 January 2009 | San Jose, California, United States

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