Multi Function Fiber

Neurons depend upon chemical and electrical signaling simultaneously; so, a smarter neural implant would do the same. To that end, a materials science research group at MIT has developed polymer fibers, about the size of a human hair, which can deliver optical and electrical stimulation and drugs to exact locations in the brain. Because the polymer resembles neural tissue, the implant has better functionality than devices made of metal or glass. This piece does not say if a single, micron-sized fiber has multiple channels, or that three fibers are fitted together, but such details must be explained in the cited Nature Biotechnology article.   MORE

Image Credit: MIT