Despite the fact that neural implants play an important role in monitoring or stimulating various areas of the brain, they are often attacked by the body's immune system. But now there is a new device that can solve this problem. It is very soft and is implanted using a needle made of sugar, according to "Hitech" publication.
Brain implants are quite flexible, but still significantly harder than the brain's natural tissue. The body perceives them as foreign bodies, causing an inflammatory reaction and the formation of scar tissue on their surface. This ultimately impedes the normal functioning of the implants.
In search of an alternative, scientists from McGill University in Canada have created a silicone implant that has been officially recognized as "the softest brain implant in history". This device is inserted into the body using a thin needle with a diameter of about 0.2 mm. According to the creators, it has a consistency of soft pudding.
This implant is very soft and fragile, so it can be damaged by routine surgical procedures. However, researchers have avoided this problem by placing the implant in a needle made of sugar. First, the sugar was melted, then molded and finally cooled to a solid state in the form of a needle. Then liquid silicone was introduced into the needle, which solidified, forming the implant.
This implant is so soft that the body does not react to it as a threat. It is capable of interacting with the brain with minimal impact.
Further research will focus on adding electronics to the implants so that they can perform their primary functions.
