Microscale acoustic metamaterials as conformal sonotransparent skull prostheses

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Neuroimaging

Background:

• Functional ultrasound (fUS) imaging offers high-resolution neural activity detection.
• Skull removal or thin films are typically used, limiting imaging quality and duration.
• Existing solutions lack mechanical protection and long-term conformability.

Conclusions:

• The developed metamaterial skull prosthesis is a viable solution for advanced functional ultrasound imaging.
• This innovation overcomes limitations of skull removal and current craniotomy covers.
• The prosthesis enables sensitive, high-resolution, and longitudinal neural activity imaging in freely behaving animals.