Electrode and Flexible Fiber Advances Allow New Ways of Interfacing with the Brain

Outcome/Accomplishment

Glassy carbon electrodes and sensors coupled to polymer fibers are aiding better treatment and monitoring of brain activity and disorders. Both were developed at the NSF-funded Center for Neurotechnology (CNT), an Engineering Research Center (ERC) at the University of Washington.

Impact/Benefits

Advances like these lead to an innovative class of neural devices, allowing researchers to discover new ways to help the brain and spinal cord recover and heal after injury.

Explanation/Background

Conventional electrodes are typically made from metals including platinum or iridium oxide, which are subject to the buildup of scar tissue that limits their use to about eight weeks. Researchers at San Diego State University (SDSU), a CNT member, developed the glassy carbon material and are developing ways to wirelessly clean corrosion from the devices, extending their usefulness as implants. These electrodes also emit and receive stronger signals and were demonstrated to be unaffected by MRI scans.

Meanwhile, electrical recording permits a measure of neural activity but it remains difficult to correlate it with network topography. And while optical imaging can show the architecture of neural circuits, its signals are weakened by brain tissue. CNT researchers at MIT introduced a new, miniature hybrid device consisting of sensors coupled to polymer fibers with integrated electrodes and optical waveguides. The device records deep-brain neural activity and at the same time reveals structural connectivity within the neural circuit. The miniature hybrid device is based on field-effect sensors and the flexible polymer fibers enable multi-spot recordings for studying how ions flow in brain tissues.
Sam Kassegne (center), CNT faculty member at SDSU and co-leader of the CNT's Communication and Interface thrust, leads research on glassy carbon electrode development.

Location

Seattle, Washington

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website

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Start Year

Biotechnology and Healthcare

Biotechnology and Health Care Icon
Biotechnology and Health Care Icon

Biotechnology and Healthcare

Lead Institution

University of Washington

Core Partners

MIT, San Diego University

Fact Sheet

CNT_Factsheet_2018 Final.pdf
Sam Kassegne (center), CNT faculty member at SDSU and co-leader of the CNT's Communication and Interface thrust, leads research on glassy carbon electrode development.

Outcome/Accomplishment

Glassy carbon electrodes and sensors coupled to polymer fibers are aiding better treatment and monitoring of brain activity and disorders. Both were developed at the NSF-funded Center for Neurotechnology (CNT), an Engineering Research Center (ERC) at the University of Washington.

Location

Seattle, Washington

e-mail

website

Visit Website

Start Year

Biotechnology and Healthcare

Biotechnology and Health Care Icon
Biotechnology and Health Care Icon

Biotechnology and Healthcare

Lead Institution

University of Washington

Core Partners

MIT, San Diego University

Fact Sheet

CNT_Factsheet_2018 Final.pdf

Impact/benefits

Advances like these lead to an innovative class of neural devices, allowing researchers to discover new ways to help the brain and spinal cord recover and heal after injury.

Explanation/Background

Conventional electrodes are typically made from metals including platinum or iridium oxide, which are subject to the buildup of scar tissue that limits their use to about eight weeks. Researchers at San Diego State University (SDSU), a CNT member, developed the glassy carbon material and are developing ways to wirelessly clean corrosion from the devices, extending their usefulness as implants. These electrodes also emit and receive stronger signals and were demonstrated to be unaffected by MRI scans.

Meanwhile, electrical recording permits a measure of neural activity but it remains difficult to correlate it with network topography. And while optical imaging can show the architecture of neural circuits, its signals are weakened by brain tissue. CNT researchers at MIT introduced a new, miniature hybrid device consisting of sensors coupled to polymer fibers with integrated electrodes and optical waveguides. The device records deep-brain neural activity and at the same time reveals structural connectivity within the neural circuit. The miniature hybrid device is based on field-effect sensors and the flexible polymer fibers enable multi-spot recordings for studying how ions flow in brain tissues.