All The Claims

1. A method of representing table-, array- or graphical object variables in a spreadsheet cell frame displayed on a display device, specified by an advanced function, from a programming language capable of handling and returning variables of at least one of said object variable types in addition to text and numeric derived variable types, the method comprising:
(a) communicating with the display device connected to a process device,
(b) accessing the cell frame containing multiple cells displayed on said display device,
(c) displaying text or numbers or icons or other symbols in said cell frame,
(d) associating at least one of said object variable types with a spreadsheet cell in said cell frame,
(e) displaying in the cells, associated with said object variable types, an indication value, containing text andor icons or other symbols as determined by an indication value function.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying on said display device a table frame containing values from the table associated with said table object variable.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying on said display device a list containing values from the array associated with said array object variable.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying on said display device a graphical image representing the image associated with said graphical object variable.
5. A computer based system for representing table-, array- or graphical object variables in a spreadsheet cell frame displayed on a display device, specified by an advanced function, from a programming language capable of handling and returning variables of at least one of said object variable types in addition to text and numeric derived variable types, the system comprising:
(a) means for communicating with the display device connected to a process device,
(b) means for accessing the cell frame containing multiple cells displayed on said display device,
(c) means for displaying text or numbers or icons or other symbols in said cell frame,
(d) means for associating at least one of said object variable types with a spreadsheet cell in said cell frame,
(e) means for displaying in the cells, associated with said object variable types, an indication value, containing text andor icons or other symbols as determined by an indication value function.
6. The system of claim 5, further including means for displaying on said display device a table frame containing values from the table associated with said table object variable.
7. The system of claim 5, further including means for displaying on said display device a list containing values from the array associated with said array object variable.
8. The system of claim 5, further including means for displaying on said display device a graphical image representing the image associated with said graphical object variable.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A vapour generator comprising:
a vapour chamber in which a vapour is produced,
a vapour chamber inlet by which gas can enter the chamber, and
a vapour chamber outlet by which vapour can flow out of the vapour chamber, and
a vapour-adsorbent passage extending from the vapour chamber outlet such that all gas and vapour flowing from the vapour chamber outlet flows through the vapour-adsorbent passage and such that, when no gas is caused to flow through the generator, vapour produced in the vapour chamber flows to the vapour-adsorbent passage and is adsorbed at a rate that ensures substantially no vapour passes as far as the generator outlet but, when gas is caused to flow through the generator, the vapour is carried through the vapour adsorbent passage at a rate sufficiently high to ensure a flow of vapour from the generator outlet
wherein the vapour adsorbent passage is provided by a vapour-permeable passage extending through an adsorbent means,
wherein the adsorbent means includes a chamber containing an adsorbent material, and
wherein the adsorbent material includes charcoal.
2. The vapour generator according to claim 1, wherein the vapour chamber includes a housing containing a wicking, adsorbent material soaked with a compound.
3. The vapour generator according to claim 1, wherein the vapour-permeable passage is provided by vapour-permeable tubing.
4. The vapour generator according to claim 3, wherein the tubing is made of an elastomer.
5. The vapour generator according to claim 1, further comprising an airflow generator connected with the vapour chamber inlet.
6. The vapour generator according to claim 5, wherein the airflow generator is a fan or blower.
7. A detection system comprising:
a detection apparatus, and
a vapour generator comprising:
a vapour chamber in which a vapour is produced,
a vapour chamber inlet by which gas can enter the chamber, and
a vapour chamber outlet by which vapour can flow out of the vapour chamber, and
a vapour-adsorbent passage extending from the vapour chamber outlet such that all gas and vapour flowing from the vapour chamber outlet flows through the vapour-adsorbent passage and such that, when no gas is caused to flow through the generator, vapour produced in the vapour chamber flows to the vapour adsorbent passage and is adsorbed at a rate that ensures substantially no vapour passes as far as the generator outlet but, when gas is caused to flow through the generator, the vapour is carried through the vapour adsorbent passage at a rate sufficiently high to ensure a flow of vapour from the generator outlet,

wherein the vapour generator is arranged to supply vapour to the detection apparatus.
8. The detection system according to claim 7, wherein the detection apparatus includes an IMS or gas chromatography instrument.
9. The detection system according to claim 7, wherein the passage is provided through an adsorbent material.
10. The detection system according to claim 7, wherein the passage is provided through a sintered material.
11. The detection system according to claim 7, wherein the vapour adsorbent passage is provided by a vapour-permeable passage extending through an adsorbent means.
12. The detection system according to claim 11, wherein the adsorbent means includes a chamber containing an adsorbent material.
13. The detection system according to claim 12, wherein the adsorbent material includes charcoal.
14. The detection system according to claim 7, wherein the vapour chamber includes a housing containing a wicking, adsorbent material soaked with a compound.
15. The detection system according to claim 7, wherein the vapour-permeable passage is provided by vapour-permeable tubing.
16. The detection system according to claim 15, wherein the tubing is made of an elastomer.
17. The detection system according to claim 7, wherein the vapour generator further comprises an airflow generator connected with the vapour chamber inlet.
18. The detection system according to claim 17, wherein the airflow generator is a fan or blower.
19. A method comprising:
providing a vapour generator comprising:
a vapour chamber in which a vapour is produced,
a vapour chamber inlet by which gas can enter the chamber, and
a vapour chamber outlet by which vapour can flow out of the vapour chamber,
and a vapour-adsorbent passage extending from the vapour chamber outlet,
wherein the vapour adsorbent passage is provided by a vapour-permeable passage extending through an adsorbent means,
wherein the adsorbent means includes a chamber containing an adsorbent material, and
wherein the adsorbent material includes charcoal;
causing a flow of gas through the vapour chamber to the vapour-adsorbent passage at a rate sufficient to ensure that vapour flows out of the vapour-adsorbent passage; and
terminating the flow of gas such that any vapour from the vapour chamber entering the vapour-adsorbent passage is adsorbed by the adsorbent material in the vapour-adsorbent passage at a rate sufficient to ensure that substantially no vapour flows out of the vapour-adsorbent passage.
20. The detection system according to claim 19, wherein the vapour-permeable passage is provided by vapour-permeable tubing.

We claim:

1. A lens for converting a radiation, representing a neutral or charged particle flux, comprising radiation transporting channels, adjoining their walls, with total external reflection and oriented by the input ends so that to capture the radiation of the source in use, wherein,
the said lens is made as a package of sublenses of a various degree of integration,
a sublens of a least degree of integration represents the package of radiation transporting channels, which is growing out of the joint drawing and forming a bundle of capillaries at the pressure of the gaseous medium in the space between them being less than the pressure in the capillaries of the channels and the temperature of softening of the material and splicing the neighboring capillaries,
a sublens of each higher degree of integration represents a package of sublenses of the previous degree of integration, which is growing out of their joint drawing and forming at the pressure of the gaseous medium in the space between them being less than the pressure in the channels of sublenses and the temperature of softening of the material and splicing the neighboring capillaries,
all sublenses of the highest degree of integration are combined in a unified structure, which is growing out of their joint drawing and forming at the pressure of the gaseous medium in the space between them being less than the pressure in the channels of sublenses and the temperature of softening of the material and splicing the neighboring sublenses,
the ends of the said single structure are cut and they form an input and output faces of the lens.
2. A lens according to claim 1, wherein the walls of radiation transporting channels have an interior cover of one or more layers, made of one and the same or different chemical elements.
3. A lens according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the said lens is made with a capability of transforming of a divergent radiation to a quasi-parallel one or vice versa, for which purpose some ends of the radiation transporting channels are oriented to a focal spot, and the other are parallel to each other.
4. A lens according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the said lens is made with a capability of changing of across sizes of a beam on the output in comparison with the input across sizes, for which purpose the said lens has a shape of axi-symmetric body with a geneatrix, having a knee, and the ends of channels, being parallel to the longitudinal axis,
thus diameters of the lens from the input and output sides are different.
5. A lens according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the said lens is made with a capability of focusing of a divergent radiation, for which purpose the input and output ends of the radiation transporting channels are oriented respectively to the first and second focal spots.
6. A lens according to claim 5, wherein a relationship between the across size and, at least, a curvature radius of the radiation transporting channels, being peripheral with respect to the optical axis, is chosen from the condition that the cross-section of the output ends of the said channels are only partially filled with radiation.
7. A lens according to claim 5 wherein the part, adjoining to the optical axis, of the said lens is made with a capability of being opaque for the said radiation.
8. A lens according to claim 5 wherein the said lens is made with different curvature radiuses of the radiation transporting channels on the part of input and output.
9. A lens according to claim 5 wherein the channels of one or some sublenses, located near to the longitudinal axis of the lens, are made with a capability of the radiation transporting in them at a single total external reflection or without it.
10. A lens according claim 1 or claim 2, wherein all sublenses of the highest degree of integration are composed in a common envelope, which is an external envelope of the lens.
11. A lens according to claim 10, wherein the said lens is made with a capability of a divergent radiation focusing, for which purpose the input and output ends of the radiation transporting channels are oriented respectively to the first and second focal spots.
12. A lens according to claim 10, wherein a relationship between an across size and, at least, a curvature radius of the radiation transporting channels, being peripheral with respect to the optical axis, is chosen from the condition that the cross-section of the output ends of the said channels are only partially filled with radiation.
13. A lens according to claim 10, wherein the said lens is made with a capability of transforming a divergent radiation to quasi-parallel one or vice versa, for which purpose some ends of the radiation transporting channels are oriented to the focal spot, and the others are parallel to each other.
14. A lens according to claim 10, wherein the said lens is made with a capability of changing of an across size of a beam on the output in comparison with the input across size, for which purpose the said lens has a shape of an axi-symmetric body with a geneatrix, having a knee, and the ends of channels, being parallel to the longitudinal axis,
thus diameters of the lens from the input and output sides are different.
15. A lens according to any one of claims 1, 2, 6-9, or 11-14, wherein the sublenses and envelopes are made of the same material, as the radiation transporting channels, or close to the said material on the thermal expansion coefficient.
16. A lens according to any one of claims 1, 2, 6-9 or 11-14 wherein the walls of the radiation transporting channels, the external envelope of the lens and the envelopes of sublenses are made of glass, ceramics or metal.
17. A method for producing the lenses for the radiation transforming, representing a neutral or charged particle flux, including the radiation transporting channels with the use of the total external reflection in them, the said method comprises two or more stages of the stocks producing, at each stage a tubular envelope is filled with the earlier made stocks, as which the capillaries are used at the first stage, and at each further the stocks are used, growing out of realizing of the previous stage, wherein drawing of the tubular envelope together with the stocks, filling it, is realized in the furnace, a feed speed is maintained slower than an exit speed of the product from the furnace at the constant relationship between the said speeds,
then the stocks, resulting from the given stage, are produced by cutting the product, emerging from the furnace, lengthwise,
at the end of the last stage a tubular envelope is filled with the stocks, obtained at this stage, and they are jointly drawing in the furnace, a feed speed is maintained slower than an exit speed of the product from the furnace, the relationship between the said speeds is periodically changed to form the thickenings on the product, emerging from the furnace,
then the lenses as parts of the product are produced from this product by cutting it lengthwise, and the said lenses include only one thickening,
thus at all stages of realizing of the method the tubular envelopes, made of the same material, as capillaries, or close to it on the thermal extension coefficient, are used,
and the processes of the tubular envelopes drawing with the stocks, filling the said envelopes, is realized at the pressure of the gaseous medium in the space between them, being less than the pressure inside the channels of the stocks at the temperature of the material softening and splicing the neighboring stocks.
18. A method according to claim 17, wherein each stage of the stocks producing is ended with etching the envelopes of the stocks.
19. A method according to claim 17 or claim 18 wherein at the process of a thickening forming a drawing speed is regulated to obtain the desired form of a cross-section of lenses.
20. A method according to claim 17 or claim 18, wherein for producing the full lenses the cut-off of the product, drawing from the furnace, is realized on each side of the maximum cross-section of the thickening at the distance from it, being less than the distance to the point of the knee of the geneatrix.
21. A method according to claim 19, wherein for producing the full lenses the cut-off of the product, drawing from the furnace, is realized on each side of the maximum cross-section of the thickening at the distance from it, being less than the distance to the point of the generatrix of the generatrix.
22. A method according to claim 17 or 18, wherein for producing the half-lenses the cut-off of the product, drawing from the furnace, is realized on each side of the maximum cross-section of the thickeining at the distance from it, being less than the distance to the point of the knee of the generatrix.
23. A method according to claim 19, wherein for producing the half-lenses the cut-off of the product, drawing from the furnace, is realized on each side of the maximum cross-section of the thickening at the distance from it, being less than the distance to the point of the knee of the generatrix.
24. A method according to claim 17 or claim 18, wherein for producing the lenses, made as an axi-symmetric body with generatrix, having a knee, and the ends of channels, being parallel to the longitudinal axis of the lens, the cut-off of the product, drawing from the furnace, is realized on the sections, being relative to the maximum of thickening, and on each side of the thickening in sections, located on the other side from the knees of the generatrix on the parts of the product, where its diameter is constant.
25. A method according to claim 19, wherein for producing the lenses, made as an axi-symmetric body with a generatrix, having a knee, with the ends of channels, being parallel to the longitudinal axis of the lens, the cur-off of the product, drawing from the furnace, is realized on sections, being relative to the maximum of the thickening, and on each side of the thickening in the sections, located on the other side from the knees of the generatrix on the parts of the product, where its diameter is constant.
26. An analytical device, comprising a radiation source, representing a neutral or charged particle flux, a means for placing the object under study placing with a capability of being acted by a radiation of the said, one or more detectors of radiation, placed with a capability of being acted by a radiation, transmitted through the object under study or excited in it, one or more lenses for transforming the radiation of the said source or the radiation, excited in the object under study, the said lenses being placed on the radiation way from the said source to the object under study and on the way from the latter to one or some said radiation detectors, the said lenses comprise the channels, adjoining their walls, for the radiation transporting with total external reflection, the said channels are oriented by their input ends with a capability to capture the radiation, wherein
at least one of the said lenses is made as a package of sublenses of various degree of integration,
thus a sublens of the least degree of integration represents a package of channels for the radiation transporting, which is growing out of joint drawing and forming the bundle of capillaries at the pressure of the gaseous medium in the space between them being less than the pressure in the channels of capillaries and the temperature of softening of the material and splicing the walls of the neighboring capillaries,
a sublens of each higher degree of integration represents a package of sublenses of the previous degree of integration, which is growing out of their joint drawing and forming at the pressure of the gaseous medium in the space between them being less than the pressure in the channels of sublenses and the temperature of softening of the material and splicing the neighboring sublenses,
all sublenses of the highest degree of integration are combined in a unified structure, which is growing out of their joint drawing and forming at the pressure of the gaseous medium in the space between them being less than the pressure in the channels of sublenses and the temperature of softening of the material and splicing the neighboring sublenses,
the ends of the said unified structure are cut and form an input and output faces of the lens.
27. An analytical device according to claim 26, wherein it is made with a capability of scanning of the surface or the volume of the object under study by means of the aligned focuses of the lenses, placed on the way from the said source to the object under study and from the last one to the detector.
28. An analytical device according to claim 27, wherein the lens, placed on the radiation way from the object under study to the detector, is made with a capability of forming a quasi-parallel beam,
the crystal-monochromator or the multilayer diffraction structure are placed between the said lens and the detector with a capability of varying of their placement and the angle of arrival on them of the said quasi-parallel beam to provide the fulfilling the Bragg condition for the different lengths of the radiation waves, excited in the object under study.
29. An analytical device according to claim 26, wherein a synchrotron or some other source, producing the parallel beam, is used as the said source, the lens, placed on the radiation way of the said source to the object under study, is made with a capability of focusing such a beam.
30. An analytical device according to claim 26, wherein a microfocal X-ray source with a through anode is used as a source.
31. An analytical device according to claim 26, wherein the said source represents a source of a broadband X-rays, being transported simultaneously by two lenses, which are made with a capability of forming a quasi-parallel beam,
one of the crystal-monochromators is placed between the output of each of the said lenses and a means for positioning the object under study,
thus each of the said crystal-monochromators is placed with a capability either of extraction of the radiation, which has a wavelength lower, or with a capability of extraction of the radiation, which has a wavelength higher than the absorption line of the element, which presence is tested in the object under study,
the device comprises two detectors, each of them is placed after the device for the object under study positioning in such way, that to receive the radiation, formed by one of the crystal-monochromators and passed through the object under study.
32. An analytical device according to claim 26, wherein the said device comprises one more source along with the said source,
both sources are X-ray sources,
thus the radiation of one source has a wavelength lower, and the radiation of the other one has a wavelength higher than the absorption line of the element, which presence is tested in the object under study,
each of the said lenses is placed either between each source and the means for the object under study positioning,
the said lenses are made with a capability of forming a quasi-parallel beam,
the device comprises two detectors, each of the said detectors is placed after the means for the object under study positioning so that to receive the radiation, formed by one of the said lenses and passed through the object under study.
33. An analytical device according to claim 26, wherein the said source represents an X-ray source with an anode, providing a radiation with two characteristic wavelengths, lower and higher than the line of the absorption of the element, which presence is tested in the object under study,
one lens, made with a capability of forming a quasi-parallel beam, is placed between the source and the means for the object under study positioning,
a rotating screen with alternating windows, covered by filters, being transparent for one and opaque for another said wavelengths, is placed before of after the said lens.
34. An analytical device according to claim 26, wherein the lens and the secondary target are placed on the radiation way from the said source to the object under study,
thus the lens is made with a capability of focusing the radiation of the source on the secondary target.
35. An analytical device according to claim 34, wherein the second lens, made with a capability of forming a quasi-parallel radiation, is placed between the secondary target and the means for object under study positioning.
36. An analytical device according to claim 34 or claim 35, wherein the secondary target is made of beryllium (Be) or some other light metal.
37. An analytical device according to claim 26, wherein the lens, and the crystal-monochromator, or the multilayer diffraction structure are placed in turn on the radiation way from the said source to the object under study,
thus the lens is made and oriented with a capability of forming a quasi-parallel beam, falling on the crystal-monochromator or the multilayer diffraction structure at the angle of 45 for the radiation forming or polarizing,
and the detector is located at the angle of 90 to the direction of the polarized radiation propagating.
38. An analytical device according to claim 26, wherein the lens and the crystal-monochromator are placed in turn on the radiation way from the said source to the object under study,
thus the lens is made and oriented with a capability of forming a quasi-parallel beam, falling on the crystal-monochromator at the Bragg angle,
the crystal, identical to the said one, is placed on the radiation way from the object under study to the detector,
the crystal is placed parallel or with a minor variation from parallel to the said one in order to provide the possibility of fixing by the detector a phase contrast of the areas of the object under study, having various density and causing different refraction of the radiation, falling on the said areas.
39. An analytical device according to claim 26, wherein an X-ray source is used as the said source,
the means for the object under study positioning is made with a capability of examining the parts or organs of the human body.
40. An analytical device according to claim 39, wherein an X-ray source comprises a molybdenum (Mo) anode,
the means for the object under study positioning is made with a capability of carrying out of mammography investigations.
41. An analytical device according to claim 40, wherein the said lens, placed on the radiation way from the X-ray source with the molybdenum (Mo) anode to the object under study, is made with a capability of forming a quasi-parallel beam with the cross-section, being enough for simultaneous acting on the whole area under study, the detector is placed with a capability of providing a distance between the said detector and the object under study not less than 30 cm.
42. An analytical device according to claim 39, wherein the said device is made with a capability of the rotating movement with respect to each other, on one hand, the means for the object under study positioning, and, on the other hand, the radiation source, the lens, placed between the source and the means for the object under study positioning, and the detector, which output is connected to the computer means for detection results processing, thus the lens is made with a capability of focusing inside the object under study the radiation, formed by the source.
43. A device for radiotherapy, comprising one or more radiation sources, representing a neutral or charged particle flux, and the means for patient’s body or its part positioning to be irradiated, wherein the lens for radiation focusing on the patient’s tumor is placed between each of the said sources and the said means for positioning, the said lens comprises channels, adjoining their walls, for radiation transporting with the total external reflection, the said channels are oriented by their input ends with a capability to capture the transported radiation, the said lens is made as a package of sublenses of various degree of integration, thus a sublens of the least degree of integration represents a package of the radiation transporting channels, which is growing out of joint drawing and forming the capillary bundle at the pressure of the gaseous medium in the space between them being less than the pressure in the channels of capillaries and the temperature of the material softening and splicing the neighboring capillaries, the sublens of each higher degree of integration represents the package of sublenses of the previous degree of integration, which is growing out of their joint drawing and forming at the pressure of the gaseous medium in the space between them being less than the pressure inside the channels of sublenses and at the temperature of the material softening and splicing the neighboring sublenses, all sublenses of the highest degree of integration are combined in an unified structure, which is growing out of their joint drawing and forming at the pressure of the gaseous medium in the space between them being less than the pressure in the channels of sublenses and at the temperature of the material softening and splicing the neighboring sublenses, the ends of the said single structure are cut off and form an input and output faces of the lens.
44. A device for radiotherapy according to claim 43, wherein the outputs of the atomic reactor or accelerator, forming quasi-parallel beams of thermal or epithermal neutrons, are used as the said sources.
45. A device for radiotherapy according to claim 44, wherein the said lenses are made with a capability of turning the neutron beams.
46. A device for contact X-ray lithography, comprising the soft X-ray source, the lens for transforming the divergent radiation of the said source to quasi-parallel, the said lens comprises the channels, adjoining their walls, for radiation transporting with total external reflection, and the means for the mask and substrate with the resist, coated on it, placing, wherein the said lens is made as a package of sublenses of various degrees of integration, thus the sublens of the least degree of integration represents the package in a common envelope of radiation transporting channels, which is growing out of joint drawing and forming the capillary bundle at the pressure of the gaseous medium in the space between them being less than the pressure in the channels of capillaries and at the temperature of the material softening and splicing the neighboring capillaries, each sublens of the higher degree of integration represents the package of sublenses of the previous degree of integration, which is growing out of their joint drawing and forming at the pressure of the gaseous medium in the space between them being less than the pressure in the channels of sublenses and at the temperature of the material softening and splicing the neighboring sublenses, all sublenses of the highest degree of integration are combined in a unified structure, which is growing out of their joint drawing and forming at the pressure of the gaseous medium in the space between them being less than the pressure in the channels of sublenses and at the temperature of the material softening and splicing the neighboring sublenses, the ends of the said single structure are cut off and form an input and output faces of the lens.
47. A device for projection X-ray lithography, comprising the soft X-ray source, the lens for transforming the divergent radiation of the said source to quasi-parallel, which is intended for the mask irradiating, a means for the mask locating, the lens for transforming the X-ray image of the mask with decreasing size on the resist, the means for the substrate with resist, coated on it, locating, thus both said lenses comprise channels, adjoining their walls, for radiation transporting with the total external reflection, wherein at least on of the said lenses is made as a package of sublenses of various degree of integration, thus the sublens of the least degree of integration represents a package of the radiation transporting channels, which growing out of joint drawing and forming the capillary bundle at the pressure of the gaseous medium in the space between them being less than the pressure in the channels of capillaries and at the temperature of the material softening and splicing of the neighboring capillaries, the sublens of each higher degree of integration represents a package of sublenses of the previous degree of integration, which is growing out of their joint drawing and forming at the pressure of the gaseous medium in the space between them being less than the pressure in the channels of sublenses and at the temperature of the material softening and splicing the neighboring sublenses, all sublenses of the highest degree of integration are combined in a unified structure, which is growing out of their joint drawing and forming at the pressure of the gaseous medium in the space between them being less than the pressure in the channels of sublenses and at the temperature of the material softening and splicing the neighboring sublenses, the ends of the said single structure are cut off and form an input and output faces of the lens, thus the input diameters of the radiation transporting channels of the second of the said lenses exceed the output diameters.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A neural probe array for subdural implantation to record intracranial field potentials in a brain, comprising:
a base having first and second sides and a plurality of apertures extending therebetween, each aperture extending along a corresponding axis and having a first end communicating with the first side of the base and a second end communicating with a second side of the base;
a plurality of contacts laterally spaced from each axis along which the plurality of apertures extend and being positioned along the first side of the base for recording the field potentials, the contacts:
having terminal ends co-planar with the first side of the base so as to allow the terminal ends of the contacts to be positioned adjacent target neurons in the brain; and
being arranged in a generally rectangular pattern for engagement with the brain; and

a plurality of conductors, each conductor having a first end operatively connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of contacts and a second opposite end;

wherein:
the first side of the base is in fluid communication with the second side of the base via the plurality of apertures; and
the base is free of active electronic components mounted thereto.
2. The neural probe array of claim 1 wherein the base includes:
a first layer having a first outer surface defining the first side of the base and a second inner surface; and
a second layer having a first outer surface defining the second side of the base and a second inner surface bonded to the inner surface of the first layer.
3. The neural probe array of claim 1 wherein the first and second layers are formed from insulators.
4. The neural probe array of claim 1 wherein the second ends of the plurality of conductors are operatively connected to a connector spaced from the base.
5. The neural probe array of claim 1 wherein a portion of each of the plurality of conductors is positioned between the first and second layers of the base.
6. The neural probe array of claim 1 wherein the plurality of apertures through the base are arranged in rows and columns.
7. The neural probe array of claim 1 wherein the plurality of contacts along the first side of the base are arranged in rows and columns.
8. The neural probe array of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of contacts has a diameter in the range of 200 microns to 2 millimeters.
9. The neural probe array of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of contacts is spaced from an adjacent contact by a minimum distance of 300 microns.
10. A neural probe array for subdural implantation to record field potentials in a brain, comprising:
a porous base having first and second sides, the base being free of active electronic components mounted thereto;
a plurality of contacts spaced along the first side of the base for recording the field potentials, the plurality of contacts having terminal ends co-planar with the first side of the base so as to allow the terminal ends of the contacts to be positioned adjacent target neurons in the brain;
a plurality of conductors, each conductor having a first end operatively connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of contacts and a second opposite end; and
a connector operatively connected to the second ends of the conductors at a location spaced from the base, the connector being connectable to a signal processing unit;

wherein:
the recorded field potentials are transmitted from the first ends of the plurality of conductors to the second ends of the conductors; and
the base includes a plurality of apertures therethrough, the apertures arranged in rows and columns;
each aperture extending along a corresponding axis and having a first end communicating with the first side of the base and a second end communicating with a second side of the base such that the first side of the base is in fluid communication with the second side of the base via the plurality of apertures; and
each of the contacts being laterally spaced from the axes of the apertures.
11. The neural probe array of claim 10 wherein the plurality of contacts are arranged in rows and columns along the first side of the base.
12. The neural probe array of claim 10 wherein a portion of each of the plurality of conductors is disposed within the base.
13. The neural probe array of claim 10 wherein each of the plurality of contacts has a diameter in the range of 200 microns to 2 millimeters.
14. The neural probe array of claim 10 wherein each of the plurality of contacts is spaced from an adjacent contact by a minimum distance of 300 microns.
15. A neural probe array for subdural implantation to record intracranial field potentials in a brain, comprising:
a first layer having a first outer surface, a first inner surface and a plurality of apertures therethrough;
a second layer having a second outer surface, a second inner surface bonded to the first inner surface of the first layer, and a plurality of apertures therethrough, the plurality of apertures through the second layer being axially aligned with the plurality of apertures through the first layer so as to define a plurality of holes;
a plurality of contacts spaced along the first outer surface of the first layer for recording the field potentials, the plurality of contacts having terminal ends co-planar with the first outer surface of the first layer so as to allow the terminal ends of the contacts to be positioned adjacent target neurons in the brain; and
a plurality of conductors, each conductor having:
at least a portion disposed between the first and second layers;
a first end operatively connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of contacts; and
a second opposite end;
wherein:
the plurality of holes in the first and second layers are arranged in rows and columns and extend along corresponding axes;
each of the plurality of contacts is laterally spaced from the axes of the plurality of holes;
the first outer surface of the first layer is in fluid communication with the second outer surface of the second layer via the plurality of holes;
each hole is generally equally spaced from an adjacent hole in the row and column; and
the first and second layers are free of active electronic components.
16. The neural probe array of claim 15 wherein the plurality of contacts are arranged in rows and columns along the first outer surface of the first layer.
17. The neural probe array of claim 15 further comprising a connector operatively connected to the second ends of the conductor for coupling the plurality of conductors to a signal processor.
18. The neural probe array of claim 15 wherein each of the plurality of contacts has a diameter in the range of 200 microns to 2 millimeters.
19. The neural probe array of claim 15 wherein each of the plurality of contacts is spaced from an adjacent contact by a minimum distance of 300 microns.