Nanowire electrodes for brain enhancement

Filed in archive Medical on May 3, 2006

Researchers at New York University and MIT have developed a nanowire electrode that can send and receive signals to the brain. Their polymer nano electrode could make brain implants, including those used to treat severe cases of Parkinson's, far safer, and it could also make attempts to restore vision and movement with direct brain-machine interfaces more feasible, according to Technology Review.

"This is a completely out-of-the box way to think about enabling deep-brain stimulation. I think there may be payoffs in terms of safety, efficacy, robustness, and biocompatibility," says Joseph Pancrazio, program director for neural engineering projects at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

Next the researchers plan to build steerable electrodes by using a polymer that contracts in response to electricity. A bundle of such nanowires could be directed by causing selected nanowires to contract.

The researchers think that, eventually, the bundle of nanowires could partly steer itself. Patrick Anquetil, a mechanical engineering postdoctoral fellow at MIT, says they have made polymers that act as pressure sensors, and they see the possibility of using semiconducting polymers as the basis for simple electric switches.

"One thing that really excites us about this is, in principle, there's no reason why, with the same material, you cannot build a whole system in which you have contraction, measurement, sensing, and computation," says Anquetil.

Now the question is, where will we draw the line? Few people will argue against nanoelectrode implants for treating Parkinson's, but what about implants for human enhancement? Our brains are good at some things and computers are good at others. The temptation to employ nanotechnologies like this one to enhance our mental and phsical capabilities will be great. But is it the right thing to do? (photo Zina Deretsky, National Science Foundation/Technology Review)