Error correction circuits for bio-implantable electronics

Methods are reviewed for achieving high data rates in bio-implantable devices. Particular attention is given to cortical stimulator arrays for restoring vision. Error-correction codes (ECC) are shown to be essential to obtain reliable operation in next-generation high-rate implants. A survey of reported ECC implementations is presented, and power-vs-performance tradeoffs are revealed after re-scaling to remove differences in technology and clock speed. Recommendations are offered for realizing high-rate ECC circuits within the tight power constraints of implantable device applications.