Implantable Neural Interfaces and Electrode Arrays for Brain and Spinal Cord Stimulation
This community develops hardware and materials for recording electrical signals from and delivering stimulation to the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves, primarily to treat neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, and paralysis.
The work centers on the design of microelectrode arrays, flexible neural probes, and conductive polymers like PEDOT:PSS to create stable, long-term interfaces with neural tissue. Recurring applications include deep brain stimulation, spinal cord stimulation, and cochlear implants. The research addresses the engineering challenges of signal fidelity, biocompatibility, and the integration of these devices with closed-loop control systems. Specific focus areas include the development of wireless, battery-less implants and the use of high-density probes for decoding complex neural activity in motor and visual cortices.
The largest share of the community's output is found in platinum research, accounting for 0.4% of all platinum research, and 592 papers here. Iridium research also features prominently, representing 1.1% of its total research volume with 455 papers in this group.
There are 10,234 papers in this community, published most frequently in the Journal of Neuroscience, bioRxiv, and the Journal of Neural Engineering.
Recent work includes the development of minimally invasive, high-density cortical arrays for multimodal decoding, nonsurgical brain implants using cell-electronics hybrids, and clinical trials for vagus nerve stimulation in rheumatoid arthritis.