Organic Electrochemical Neurons for Neuromorphic Perception

Neuromorphic sensing and processing have the potential to enable bioelectronic devices that can perform localized and highly individualized signal processing within living tissues and the nervous system. Traditional silicon-based neuromorphic devices face challenges in bio-integration due to high circuit complexity, poor biocompatibility, and low energy efficiency. Emerging bioelectronic technologies, such as organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs), offer solutions to these limitations. OECTs efficiently couple ions and electrons, facilitating effective signal transduction and making them ideal for interfacing electronics with biological systems. In this presentation, I will explore the use of OECTs to develop organic electrochemical neurons (OECNs) capable of ion-mediated spiking. These devices leverage ion-tunable antiambipolarity in mixed ionic-electronic conducting polymers to mimic the dynamics of biological neurons. This allows for the efficient transduction and processing of sensory information, demonstrating the potential for high-frequency, low-energy neuromorphic devices capable of anticoincidence detection. This innovation could significantly advance closed-loop implantable devices for next-generation bioelectronics and robotics.