Hard Electronics Meets Soft Biology

Hard Electronics Meets Soft Biology

Canan Dagdeviren, Koch Institute at MIT

Koch Institute at MIT, MIT Department of Chemical Engineering

A piezoelectric material is a crystal that generates voltage signals when it is mechanically deformed. The individual flexible strain sensors printed on stretchable polymer substrate with associated snake-like conducting traces can be affixed on the brain probes to record mechanical deformations. The purpose to take this image is to check the electrical connections (serpentine conducting traces), topography of the strain sensors (rectangular stripes) and the status of the underlying polymer substrate. The stretchable platform allows me to guide the brain probes into the soft brain tissue while maintaining mechanical stability. My research broadly bridges the gap that exists between rigid, boxy electronics and soft, curvy biology by developing a multi-functional probe capable of dynamically adjusting the therapy within seconds, and with pinpoint spatial accuracy to treat neural disorders.

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