Nanomaterial-based microelectrode arrays for in vitro bidirectional brain-computer interfaces: a review

Yaoyao Liu; Shihong Xu; Yan Yang; Kui Zhang; Enhui He; Wei Liang; Jinping Luo; Yirong Wu; Xinxia Cai

doi:10.1038/s41378-022-00479-8

Nanomaterial-based microelectrode arrays for in vitro bidirectional brain-computer interfaces: a review

Microsyst Nanoeng. 2023 Jan 30:9:13. doi: 10.1038/s41378-022-00479-8. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Yaoyao Liu^{1

2}, Shihong Xu^{1

2}, Yan Yang^{1

2}, Kui Zhang^{1

2}, Enhui He^{1

2}, Wei Liang^{1

2}, Jinping Luo^{1

2}, Yirong Wu^{1

2}, Xinxia Cai^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190 China.
² School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 PR China.

Abstract

A bidirectional in vitro brain-computer interface (BCI) directly connects isolated brain cells with the surrounding environment, reads neural signals and inputs modulatory instructions. As a noninvasive BCI, it has clear advantages in understanding and exploiting advanced brain function due to the simplified structure and high controllability of ex vivo neural networks. However, the core of ex vivo BCIs, microelectrode arrays (MEAs), urgently need improvements in the strength of signal detection, precision of neural modulation and biocompatibility. Notably, nanomaterial-based MEAs cater to all the requirements by converging the multilevel neural signals and simultaneously applying stimuli at an excellent spatiotemporal resolution, as well as supporting long-term cultivation of neurons. This is enabled by the advantageous electrochemical characteristics of nanomaterials, such as their active atomic reactivity and outstanding charge conduction efficiency, improving the performance of MEAs. Here, we review the fabrication of nanomaterial-based MEAs applied to bidirectional in vitro BCIs from an interdisciplinary perspective. We also consider the decoding and coding of neural activity through the interface and highlight the various usages of MEAs coupled with the dissociated neural cultures to benefit future developments of BCIs.

Keywords: Biosensors.

Publication types

Review