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A new portable and durable brain-computer interface sensor has been developed by scientists in China, capable of wireless control. This innovation represents a significant leap from traditional stationary sensors, which often have limited lifespans and have hindered broader use of neural interfaces.
Researchers from the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Shanghai’s Donghua University crafted this electrode, called NeuroWorm, as detailed in a recent publication in Nature.
Electrodes are vital components that connect electronic devices to the nervous system within brain-computer interfaces—a rapidly advancing field with promising applications such as robotic limb control and neurological disorder treatment. Conventional electrodes are generally fixed in place, which can provoke immune responses and lead to declining signal quality over time.
To address these issues, the team designed a two-dimensional array on a super-thin, flexible polymer into a fiber only about 200 micrometers wide. NeuroWorm features up to 60 independent channels for signals, serving as a high-capacity sensory link. A small magnetic module attached to the fiber’s tip allows for wireless navigation through brain or muscle tissue, enabling it to record detailed spatiotemporal signals along its route.
This design allows noninvasive repositioning of implants via magnetic guidance, potentially removing the need for additional surgeries. The researchers describe NeuroWorm as a more adaptable, intelligent, and less invasive platform suitable for long-term, multisite neural monitoring, with potential uses in brain-computer interfaces, advanced prosthetics, epilepsy research, and chronic neurological disease management.
Tests on muscle fascia involved implanting the device into a rat’s leg for over 43 weeks, during which it reliably recorded electromyographic signals. The team also guided the sensor through a rabbit’s brain, from the cortex to subcortical areas, while capturing high-quality neural signals.
These experiments confirmed the device’s excellent biocompatibility and stable performance over time.
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