Overview
- Injected devices chemically fused to monocytes crossed the intact blood–brain barrier in mice and autonomously self‑implanted at targeted brain sites, verified with fluorescent tracing.
- An external transmitter delivered near‑infrared electromagnetic waves to wirelessly power the implants, enabling highly localized electrical neuromodulation with micrometer‑scale precision.
- The free‑standing electronics are fabricated with CMOS‑compatible processes at MIT.nano, using organic semiconducting polymers layered between metals, and measure about one‑billionth the length of a grain of rice.
- Biocompatibility assays indicated the implants integrated without damaging nearby neurons and did not measurably affect cognition or motor function in the animal tests.
- The team plans to pursue human trials within roughly three years through the startup Cahira Technologies, while emphasizing that the approach remains at a preclinical stage with no human data or approvals.