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A flexible mesh to record the brain

Nature Biotechnology volume 33, page 830 (2015)Cite this article

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One of the big remaining challenges in neurotechnology is the development of the biophysical sensor—its functionality, biocompatibility and long-lasting potential. Most of the electrodes being tested today are based on rigid materials. “Current technology doesn't work for more than a few years because of scar tissue formation, material degradation, inflammation caused by the micromotion of the brain and infection,” says Jose Carmena of the University of California at Berkeley. “After a while, you end up recording noise.”

Lieber and his group2 previously developed macroporous nanowire electronics, flexible three-dimensional scaffolds that can support neuronal and cardiac cell growth. But they noticed that when the substrate on which these electronics are made is dissolved, the devices “are floating in solution, much like a polymer,” says Lieber. “This made us think that we could take them up with a syringe and inject them into other materials.”

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References

  1. Liu, J. et al. Nat. Nanotechnol. 10, 629–636 (2015).

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  2. Tian, B. et al. Nat. Mater. 11, 986–994 (2012).

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  1. Associate Editor,

    Irene Jarchum

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  1. Irene Jarchum
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Jarchum, I. A flexible mesh to record the brain. Nat Biotechnol 33, 830 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt.3316

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