Self-Motile Implantables for Advanced Neural Interfaces

Neural interfaces are communication bridges between the nervous system and man-made devices. Decades of innovation on biocompatible materials, device shape and structural engineering, and implanting methods has advanced the development of devices that can deliver and record signals through multiple modalities, such as electrical, chemical and optical interfaces. Despite these advancements, high-performance recording and stimulating systems with exceptional spatial resolution have not yet met the required criteria for chronic operation, which is dramatically impeded by tissue damage and complex and unpredictable foreign body responses. On-going state-of-the-art studies to alleviate this mismatch include the development of minimally invasive, multifunctional, and miniaturized devices consist of organic flexible and soft materials. By combining bioelectronics with soft robotics, we aim to develop thin film-based brain implants capable of shape morphing inside the body for an intimate interface and improved neuromodulation performance with minimal invasiveness. We will work on the identification, fabrication and characterization of biocompatible actuating materials, configuration design and shape programming of soft robots, and bioelectronics integration as well as in vitro and in vivo tests. This project will bridge the gap between two cutting-edge research fields that have thus far evolved separately: soft robotics and bioelectronics. This advance goes beyond today's existing neurotechnologies, moving a step further towards advanced neural implants that hold the potential of high-performance and long-term interaction with the nervous system. As an adjacent benefit, this work will also contribute to other biomedical tools such as catheters and drug delivery devices and practices in minimally invasive surgery, and lead to a whole new generation of biomedical devices and treatments.