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Origami-inspired soft fluidic actuation for minimally invasive large-area electrocorticography
Lawrence Coles1,2, Domenico Ventrella3, Alejandro Carnicer-Lombarte1
1Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
Nature Communications
|July 26, 2024
Summary
This study introduces a novel, shape-changing electrocorticography (ECoG) device for brain monitoring. The flexible ECoG array is implanted minimally invasively and expands for large-area cortical coverage, improving surgical outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Biomedical Engineering
- Materials Science
Background:
- Electrocorticography (ECoG) is crucial for neural recording but requires invasive surgery for large arrays.
- Current large-area ECoG implantation necessitates extensive craniotomies, posing significant surgical risks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a large-area ECoG device with shape-changing capabilities for minimally invasive implantation.
- To enable wide-area cortical recording through a small surgical opening.
Main Methods:
- Integration of flexible thin-film electrodes with soft robotics and fluidic actuators.
- Origami-inspired folding for device compression and deployment.
- In vitro and in vivo (porcine model) testing of implantation, expansion, and recording.
Main Results:
- A 32-electrode ECoG device was successfully packaged into a compressed state for small burr-hole craniotomy.
- The device demonstrated in vitro and in vivo expansion on the cortical surface.
- Functional neural recording was confirmed post-implantation and expansion.
Conclusions:
- Shape-actuated neural implants offer a clinically viable method for large-area ECoG.
- Minimally invasive implantation of large-area neural interfaces is achievable.
- This technology advances the potential for widespread cortical monitoring and intervention.
