Researchers are developing cell-sized wearable devices to restore neuron function
Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have unveiled groundbreaking wearable devices that could transform the treatment of neurological diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS). These microscale devices, which wrap around individual neurons, mimic the function of natural myelin and restore electrical signaling disrupted by neurodegenerative diseases. The devices are battery-free and activated by light, offering a new way to monitor and potentially modulate neuron activity in the body.
Synthetic myelin for damaged axons
According to the report by Neuro Science News, these tiny devices are made of a soft polymer that rolls and attaches to axons and dendrites when exposed to specific wavelengths of light. This unique action allows the device to envelop neuronal structures without damaging delicate cellular components. According to Deblina Sarkar, head of MIT’s Nano-Cybernetic Biotrek Lab, this design is a step toward creating symbiotic neural interfaces that work at the cellular level. “Our technology enables intimate interfaces with neurons and closely adapts to their complex shapes,” Sarkar explains. By enclosing axons – the neural ‘wiring’ responsible for transmitting electrical impulses – the device can act like synthetic myelin, potentially restoring the functions of damaged neurons.
Advances in microelectronics
To create these wearables, researchers use azobenzene, a light-sensitive material. When exposed to specific light wavelengths, azobenzene films form microtubes that wrap tightly around neuronal structures. Lead author Marta JI Airaghi Leccardi, now a Novartis Innovation Fellow, emphasizes that the team has developed a manufacturing technique that is scalable enough to produce thousands of these microdevices without a semiconductor cleanroom. “These advances mean we could potentially produce mobile wearables in large quantities for therapeutic applications,” says Leccardi.
Future applications and possibilities
MIT researchers are optimistic about the potential to integrate these devices with advanced sensors, which could open new avenues for non-invasive brain treatments. The devices could one day help doctors and researchers monitor electrical, optical and even thermal signals from neurons, providing deeper insight into brain function. Flavia Vitale, an associate professor at the University of Pennsylvania, called the research “an exciting foundation” for future in vivo applications, where the devices could help treat neurodegenerative diseases more effectively.
