Ionic Device: From Neuromorphic Computing to Interfacing with the Brain

In living organisms, the modulation of ion conductivity in ion channels of neuron cells enables intelligent behaviors, such as generating, transmitting, and storing neural signals. Drawing inspiration from these natural processes, researchers have fabricated ionic devices that replicate the functions of the nervous system. However, this field remains in its infancy, necessitating extensive foundational research in ionic device preparation, algorithm development, and biological interaction. This review summarizes recently developed neuromorphic ionic devices into three categories based on the materials states: liquid, semi-solid, and solid. The neural network algorithms embedded in these devices for neuromorphic computing are introduced, and future directions for the development of bidirectional human-computer interaction and hybrid human-computer intelligence are discussed.