Additively Manufactured Soft and Stretchable Neural Probes for Recordings at Single-Neuron Level

Neural recording technologies have revolutionized our understanding of the brain, spinal cord, and other parts of the nervous system, offering invaluable insights into neural activities and paving the way for innovative therapies. However, mismatches in material properties between these often-rigid electronic devices and biological neural tissues can lead to problems in biocompatibility (e.g., causing inflammation) and stability (e.g., dislocating contact). Here, we present an approach to address this challenge by introducing 3D printable, flexible, stretchable electronic devices with a porous, tissue-like structure designed for neural recording. This porous configuration bestows exceptional flexibility, stretchability, and conformability alongside chemical permeability, enabling seamless integration with the brain and spinal cord. The 3D printability offers customization and cost efficiency. The prototype device exhibits reduced impedance compared to conventional metal- or silicon-based devices, facilitating their precision in capturing neural activities at the cellular level in both the brain and spinal cord. Our innovative design lays a robust foundation for future research and applications in brain-computer interfaces, neuromodulation, and neural prosthetics.