A well‑defined stim file typically includes:
Patients accumulate multiple stim files over time. A typical SCS patient might have a library of 4-6 stim files saved on their personal remote control:
Most commercial neurostimulators come with proprietary software (e.g., Intan StimController, Blackrock Central). However, for advanced users, scripting is the way forward. stim files
Once finalized, the stim file is transferred to the implantable pulse generator (IPG). This can happen via:
Traditional stim files are static. New "adaptive stim files" contain a rule engine. For example: These dynamic files turn the implant from a
IF (patient_accelerometer = "lying_down") THEN
load_file("sleep_mode.stim")
reduce_amplitude_by(20%)
ELSE IF (patient_heart_rate > 100bpm) THEN
activate("burstdr.stim")
These dynamic files turn the implant from a passive device into an active, responsive therapeutic system.
In closed-loop BCI (e.g., stimulating the somatosensory cortex to provide "touch feedback" from a prosthetic hand), the STIM file is not static. The BCI algorithm generates a dynamic STIM file in real-time, updating amplitude based on grip force. Blackrock Central). However
These sensory prosthetics use highly personalized STIM files. An audiologist maps frequencies to electrodes; that map is saved as a STIM file. When the patient turns on their hearing device, the processor reads this file thousands of times per second to translate sound waves into electrical pulses.