Dissolvable Electronics Developed by Biomedical Engineers

Biomedical Engineers at Tuft University have developed ultra thin silk-silicon based electronics that will dissolve after a specified amount of time. These instruments are completely biocompatible and will harmlessly disintegrate into their surroundings. The so called, "transient-electronics" will hopefully be used one day for medical implants that will not require surgical removal. According to the senior author of the publication, these circuits are the exact opposite of today's electrical devices, which are made aimed at longevity. These circuits take traditional circuit methods ( usually made of magnesium and silicon) and make them very thin, and after that enclose them in a silk protein. The circuits are so small that they can dissolve in only a few grams of water or body fluid and the entire circuit can be completely reabsorbed with no harm to the host. The silk encasing the electronic comes from the cocoon of the silkworm and is very strong while also being completely biodegradable. Today, theses devices have effectively shown in rats where a thermal device was aimed at watching and preventing post-surgical infection. In the future researches would like to develop more intricate devices that can be more adaptable and responsive to environmental changes in light, pressure, or overall chemistry.