Recent Advances in Materials, Devices, and Systems for Neural Interfaces

• Published in: Advanced materials (Weinheim) Vol. 30; no. 30; pp. e1800534 - n/a
• Main Authors: Won, Sang Min, Song, Enming, Zhao, Jianing, Li, Jinghua, Rivnay, Jonathan, Rogers, John A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.07.2018
• Subjects: Animals; Biocompatibility; Biocompatible Materials; bioelectronics; Data transmission; Electricity; Electrode materials; Electrodes; Emitters; Humans; Materials science; Mechanical properties; Nanostructures; neural interfaces; neural recording; neural stimulation; Neurons; Neurosciences; neural interfaces; electrodes; neural recording; bioelectronics; neural stimulation
• ISSN: 0935-9648; 1521-4095; 1521-4095
• DOI: 10.1002/adma.201800534

Technologies capable of establishing intimate, long‐lived optical/electrical interfaces to neural systems will play critical roles in neuroscience research and in the development of nonpharmacological treatments for neurological disorders. The development of high‐density interfaces to 3D populations of neurons across entire tissue systems in living animals, including human subjects, represents a grand challenge for the field, where advanced biocompatible materials and engineered structures for electrodes and light emitters will be essential. This review summarizes recent progress in these directions, with an emphasis on the most promising demonstrated concepts, materials, devices, and systems. The article begins with an overview of electrode materials with enhanced electrical and/or mechanical performance, in forms ranging from planar films, to micro/nanostructured surfaces, to 3D porous frameworks and soft composites. Subsequent sections highlight integration with active materials and components for multiplexed addressing, local amplification, wireless data transmission, and power harvesting, with multimodal operation in soft, shape‐conformal systems. These advances establish the foundations for scalable architectures in optical/electrical neural interfaces of the future, where a blurring of the lines between biotic and abiotic systems will catalyze profound progress in neuroscience research and in human health/well‐being. The latest progress in the materials science of neural interface systems is reviewed. The broader context is in challenges associated with construction of large‐scale, high‐density platforms with capabilities in recording and stimulating neural activities, at the single neuron scale and across large areas, all with stable, chronic operation.