Researchers have combined flexible electronics and soft robotics technologies to develop a tiny and flexible neural "loop" for diagnosing and treating a range of diseases. The image source is Physics World.
BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) - Researchers at the University of Cambridge in the UK have combined flexible electronics and soft robotics technologies to develop a tiny and flexible neural "loop" for diagnosing and treating a range of diseases, including epilepsy and chronic pain, as well as for controlling prosthetics. The related paper was published in the journal Nature Materials on the 26th.
Current tools used to connect peripheral nerves (the 43 pairs of motor and sensory nerves connecting the brain and spinal cord) are quite bulky, posing a high risk of nerve damage. The neural loop developed by the research team is highly sensitive, capable of connecting or wrapping around delicate nerve fibers without causing any harm.
Specifically, the researchers designed an ultra-thin neural loop made of conductive polymers. The loop has two different layers, and applying a very small amount of voltage (only a few hundred millivolts) causes the device to expand or contract. The loop is very thin and can be rolled into a needle shape for injection near the target nerve. When electrically activated, the loop changes shape to wrap around the nerve, allowing researchers to monitor or alter nerve activity.
The researchers stated that to ensure the safe use of this device in the body, they managed to reduce the required activation voltage to extremely low levels. More importantly, these loops can change shape in two directions and can be reprogrammed. This means that doctors can adjust the fit of the device around the nerve until optimal results are achieved.
Tests on rats have shown that the loops can be successfully placed without surgery, and controlled shape changes can be achieved with minimal voltage, without the need for surgical sutures or glue. The researchers plan to further test these devices in animal models and hope to conduct human trials in the coming years.
This approach allows researchers to access nerves that are difficult to reach with open surgery without implanting electrodes in the brain, such as nerves controlling pain, vision, or hearing. The ability to change the shape of implants through electrical activation opens up a range of possibilities for highly targeted therapies.
