Implantable devices, disease, neuromodulation
Implantable electrode arrays are used to diagnose and/or modulate disease(s) in electrically active organs. Existing implants are fabricated with the same materials and processing techniques as the electronics industry to enable precisely patterned electrodes at a high density. However, the materials mismatch between the implant and the target biological tissue often leads to irreversible tissue damage, and loss of device function. We use hydrogels, which match the mechanical modulus and degree of viscoelasticity of biological tissues. These viscoelastic arrays are ultraconformable, and can flow to match then underlying tissue geometry. Currently, we are building Conductive Hydrogel Arrays with Multiple ELEctrodes Optimized for Neurons (CHAMELEON), with both recording and stimulation electrodes.