New Small Electrodes Could Enable Development of Better Prosthetic Devices

Article link here.

      Biomedical Engineers at the University of Michigan have developed new super-small electrodes that could represent the future of prosthetic devices. The new electrodes, which are inserted into the brain, are 10 times smaller than current electrodes available on the market and are more comparable in size to individual neurons. This is a hugely important breakthrough because large electrodes inflame brain tissue and block communication between the electrode and the cells. The electrodes are also coated in a gel that makes signals from brain cells come in much clearer. The scientists implanted these electrodes in rats and found that it was precise enough to pick up a signal from a single neuron.

     I think this is a really big advancement in the field of prosthesis because the electrodes will be able to pick up specific signals to send to prosthetic devices. They will be able to do this without harming any brain tissue because they are so small. Unfortunately, the researchers stress that their invention is nowhere near being ready for clinical use because of uncertainty about long term effects, but hopefully a decade or so in the future we will be seeing this technology implemented.