Neural dust particles could one day be used to monitor brain activity

Technology Review : Over the past several decades, researchers have been working on improving human brain–machine interfaces that can be used to restore damaged hearing, sight, and movement. Until now, most brain monitoring devices have been less than satisfactory because of limited spatial resolution, lack of portability, extreme invasiveness, and short lifetime. Dongjin Seo and colleagues at the University of California, Berkeley, propose a new way to study and interact with the brain—nano-sized electronic sensors embedded in the cortex. That so-called neural dust would consist of CMOS devices that measure the electrical activity of the brain’s neurons. They would be paired with a subcranial interrogator, which would provide the necessary power and communication links. Although ambitious, such a nanoelectromechanical system would represent a state-of-the-art solution for monitoring brain function.