Klas Tybrandt, Principal Investigator at the Organic Electronics Laboratory at Linköping University, has developed a new technology for long-term stable neurological recording. This new technology is based on a new type of elastic composite that is biocompatible and retains high electrical conductivity even when stretched to twice its original length.
This result was achieved in collaboration with colleagues in Zurich and New York. The breakthrough of this technology is crucial for many applications in biomedical engineering, and the paper describing this technological breakthrough was published in the famous science magazine Adanced Materials (''High-Density Stretchable Electrode Grids for Chronic Neural Recording'').
The coupling between electronic components and nerve cells is not only critical for collecting information on cellular signaling, but is also critical for the diagnosis and treatment of neurological disorders and diseases such as epilepsy.
Achieving long-term stable connections without damaging neurons or tissues is very challenging because the two systems, the soft and elastic tissues of the human body and the hard and rigid electronic components, have completely different mechanical properties.
“Because of the elasticity and mobility of human tissue, the interface with rigid electronic components can cause damage and inflammation. This not only causes tissue damage, but also weakens the nerve signal.†Lin Xueping University, North Xueping Campus, Organic Electronics Laboratory Flexible Electronics The head of the group, Klas Tybrandt, said.
Klas Tybrandt has developed a new type of conductive material that is as soft as human tissue and can stretch to twice its length. The material consists of gold-plated titanium dioxide nanowires embedded in silicone rubber. The material is biocompatible - meaning it can be in contact with the human body without adverse effects - and its conductivity remains stable over time.
“Micromachining of flexible conductive composites involves a number of challenges. We have developed a process for making small electrodes that retains the biocompatibility of the material. The process uses very little material, which means we can Use relatively expensive materials (such as gold) without being too costly,†says Klas Tybrandt.
The electrodes were 50 microns in size with a distance of 200 microns from each other. The manufacturing process allows 32 electrodes to be placed on very small surfaces.
The flexible microelectrodes were developed by Linköping University and the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, and researchers at New York University and Columbia University subsequently implanted them into the brains of rats. The researchers were able to collect high-quality nerve signals from free-moving rats for 3 months. These experiments have followed ethical review and have followed strict regulations governing animal experiments.
"When a neuron in the brain transmits a signal, a voltage is formed, and the electrode is detected by a tiny amplifier and transmitted forward. We can also see which electrode the signal is, which means we can estimate the position of the brain from which the signal originated. Types of spatio-temporal information are important for future applications. For example, we want to be able to see where the signal leading to seizures begins, which is a prerequisite for treating it. Another area of ​​application is the brain-computer interface, and future technologies can pass Neural signals are used to control the prosthesis. There are many interesting applications involving the nervous system around the body and how it regulates various organs,†says Klas Tybrandt.
This breakthrough is the basis of Soft Electronics' research direction, which is currently being established at Linköping University and is led by Klas Tybrandt as Principal Investigator.
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