Researchers develop new implanted devices

According to an article in Printed Electronics World, researchers from the University of Texas, Dallas and the University of Tokyo have created electronic devices that become soft when implanted into the body.

After implantation, the devices are said to deploy a grip on 3D objects such as large tissues, nerves and blood vessels.

These biologically adaptive, flexible transmitters might one-day help doctors learn more about what is happening inside of the body but also stimulate the body for treatments.

According to the article, Jonathan Reeder BS graduate said: “The research is one of the first demonstrations of transistors that can change shape and maintain their electrical properties after implantation.

“Scientists and physicians have been trying to put electronics in the body for a while now, but one of the problems is that the stiffness of electronics is not compatible with biological tissue.”

The shape memory polymers developed by Dr. Walter Voit are said to respond to the body’s environment and become less rigid when they are implanted.

By putting electronics on shape-changing and softening polymers, the device will be stiff at room temperature so the surgeon can implant it, but soft and flexible enough to wrap around 3-D objects whilst in the body. 

Furthermore during the testing stages of the device, a cylinder as small as 2.25millimetres in diameter was implanted into rats.

The article claims the researchers found that after implantation, the device morphed with living tissue while maintaining ‘excellent’ electronic properties.

Reeder added in his interview: “This research comes from a whole different angle, it demonstrates that we can engineer a device to change shape in a more biologically compatible way.

“The next step of the research is to shrink the device so they can wrap around smaller objects and add more sensory components.”