Metasurface-assisted bioelectronics: bridging photonic innovation with biomedical implants

Wireless cellular stimulation has been widely applied for bioengineering and bidirectional communication with the brain. Different technologies, such as photoelectrical stimulation as an alternative to optogenetics, have emerged for a wide range of remote therapeutic applications using light. Metasurfaces enable pixel-wise control of electric field distribution by engineering absorption and wavefront shaping, with responses tuned to incident light polarization, frequency, and phase, offering precise stimulation and wireless control in retinal, cochlear, and cardiac implants. Moreover, by leveraging terahertz (THz) band patches, reconfigurable metasurfaces controlled via FPGA and holography, and virtual reality-assisted designs, these interfaces can revolutionize bioelectronic medicine.