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The research teams of Duke University, Northwest University and New York University in the United States use less than a micron thick silicon dioxide electrode layer to form a "neural matrix" of 1008 electrode sensors to form a flexible neural interface, which is implanted into the cerebral cortex to realize the long-term and direct interaction between the machine and the human brain.
Lin Zhijia, editor of titanium media
Titanium media reported on April 9 that the research teams of Duke University, Northwest University and New York University in the United States made up a "neural matrix" of 1008 electrode sensors with less than a micron thick silicon dioxide electrode layer to form a flexible neural interface, which was implanted into the cortex of the great brain to realize the long-term and direct interaction between the machine and the human brain. It is reported that this scientific research achievement was published in the world medical journal, Science Translational Medicine, this morning.
Dr. Ken Chiang, the first author of this paper, biomedical engineering at Duke University, told titanium media that the research results showed that it has become a reality to implant electronic devices into the body. Compared with other brain computer interface (BCI) experiments, the breakthrough of this research lies in the use of a new material and sensing mode, so that the device can exist in animals for more than a few years.
John a Rogers, the corresponding author of the paper and director of the school of materials science and engineering of Northwest University, told titanium media by email that the significance of this research lies in the establishment of a brain expandable way and the realization of minimally invasive integration of electronics and brain. Equipment can run for decades, close to human life.
The brain is a very complex organ. If we take CT images, we can only see one part of the brain, or observe the static state of the brain vaguely. Human's understanding of the brain is one-sided.
The importance of BCI is that it can establish a direct channel between human or animal brain (or brain cell culture) and external devices. On the one hand, brain computer equipment can transform brain signals into machine recognizable signals to achieve effective control of the machine; on the other hand, it can also receive feedback from the machine to achieve external intervention of the brain.
Back in July last year, Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, announced that neuralink, a neuroscience start-up, had developed "brain machine neural network" device N1, which attached more than 3000 electrodes to flexible filaments, or would realize brain mind control computer. After that, the research of brain machine interface has been promoted to the public view and become a hot spot.
Jiang Jiahan told titanium media that compared with previous studies by neurolink and other institutions, the focus of this paper is not whether brain computer interface can be connected with human brain, but whether new materials can operate in the brain for a long time. This is very important. The use of new materials will make brain computer interface close to the direction of people's full use.
Today's brain implant devices are all sealed in laser welded titanium shell, producing thin polymer like deposition, densely distributed on the cerebral cortex, almost no space to speak of. But we all know that the space and flexibility of human brain are very important, so researchers hope to find isolation materials similar to titanium shell, but the new materials should be thinner, softer, and be able to decompose by themselves, so that brain computer equipment can be complete and long-term preserved.
After research and analysis, the final researchers found that silicon dioxide is a very suitable electrode material, which is small and light, not only can be perfectly integrated with the brain, but also has biocompatibility, so the material can be degraded, and the rate is only 0.46 nm. In other words, the tiny amount of silicon dioxide dissolved in the brain will not cause side effects.
Using this electrode, researchers have developed a new type of multi electrode array, known as "neural matrix", which does not penetrate brain tissue, but stays gently on its cerebral cortex. The neural matrix contains 1008 electrode sensors and high-definition imaging devices. The electrodes are used to connect the cerebral cortex for feedback and detection. The imaging devices allow researchers to check the brain activity in detail.
When everything was ready, the researchers started the experiment. They sample at thousands of locations in the brain area of animals, put "chips" (transistors) directly in each sampling location, use multiplexing technology to expand and increase the sensing density and coverage, and achieve up to 1000 channels of brain computer access.
At present, researchers have completed several experiments on mice and non-human primates (monkeys). The brain computer equipment has continuously fed back for more than one to two years without any side effects, and the experimental results are very good.
John Rogers predicted that the new brain computer interface device can survive on the surface of the brain for more than six years without any negative situation. Even this device can last for decades. At the end of human life, the brain computer interface device can continue to operate.
John Rogers told titanium media that they are now expanding the "whole brain" coverage and increasing the number by more than 100 times to form a visual prosthesis, so as to land the product. The research is still several years away from commercial implementation.
Jiang said the team hopes to share the technology with other neuroscience researchers around the world, so that people can use the upper brain computer interface device more quickly.
Although the research results have not yet been implemented, it is undeniable that if BCI commercialization can be realized, it will cause great changes in medical or artificial intelligence and other high-tech fields.
With the acceleration of global aging, human beings are prone to suffer from neurodegenerative diseases, and the popularity of virtual VR games is gradually increasing. In the use scenarios of treating paralyzed patients, nervous system diseases, sleep disorders and research neuroscience, the role of BCI equipment is increasingly prominent.
In 2019, medical terminals accounted for the largest share of BCI market, accounting for 37.8%, of which North America accounted for the largest share, accounting for about 42.3%. Some experts predict that BCI demand will increase significantly in the future.
BCI market size
According to the data of allied market research, the market size of BCI may reach US $1.46 billion in 2020; report and data magazine forecasts that by 2026, the global market size of BCI is expected to reach US $2.67 billion, with a compound annual growth rate of 11.1%.
If we look at the application fields that BCI can affect, whether it's medical treatment, education or consumption, it will bring a huge market space that is far more than one billion dollars. In the future, BCI can be applied in many aspects such as the Internet of things, video games, etc., which has a broad market prospect.
But at the same time, the technology is controversial. In October last year, a school in Jinhua, Zhejiang Province, let students use the head ring of brain computer interface, similar to Monkey King's "Golden hoop", causing widespread controversy. Some people think that BCI technology is harmful to human body. Others think that this technology can subvert people's understanding of human brain.
On the whole, as technology and market are still in a very early stage, the industrial scale is not clear, and there is no relevant law to follow, there is a certain blank area in the market.
Mao Ying, vice president of Huashan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University, also said that in the future, in the process of symbiosis and integration with artificial intelligence, how to ensure that the research direction is in line with human interests is a level worthy of attention. The development of artificial intelligence will give wings to the development of human brain. In this development process, we should also pay close attention to the possible risks and control them.
(this article is the first titanium media app, written by Lin Zhijia and edited by Zhao Yuhang)
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