Scientists Develop Rice-Sized Wireless Brain Implant That Transmits Signals Through Light

Scientists have been successful in creating a brain implant chip less than the size of a grain of rice. It is implanted inside the brain and transmits electrical signals through infrared light. The discovery is perceived as a major breakthrough in the world of neurotechnology. This small device is called MOTE. It's a Micro Scale Opto Electronics Tetherless Electrode-the tiniest wireless brain implant ever designed. Cornell University engineer Alyosha Molnar, who developed it, said, "This is the smallest device ever made that can measure brain activity and transmit it wirelessly."

A brain implant chip is a tiny computer chip that is surgically implanted into the human brain. Its purpose is to connect the brain directly to computers and other electronic devices, allowing even severely paralyzed or disabled people to control them using their minds alone. This chip reads neural signals from the brain and converts them into digital commands, making it possible to move a cursor, play games, or type.

This chip is approximately 300 microns long and 70 microns wide—about as thin as a human hair. It converts brain signals into light, which then travels through brain tissue to a receiver. This idea has been in the works since 2001, and it took scientists nearly 20 years to realize it.

This chip is made from a special material called aluminum gallium arsenide. It transmits data through light and also receives its energy from that light. It uses a technology that transmits data through pulses of light, the same technology used in satellite communications.

The device was first tested on lab-grown cell cultures. It was then implanted into the part of the brain that processes information from the whiskers of mice. Tests showed that the chip accurately recorded brain signals for over a year, and the mice remained completely healthy.

Currently used brain chips or electrodes are not compatible with tests like MRI and can sometimes cause irritation or inflammation of brain tissue. However, the MOTE device uses materials that are safe for MRI and do not harm the brain. Because it is wireless, it does not require any wires, eliminating the risk of irritation or infection.

Scientists believe this technology could be useful not only for the brain but also for the spinal cord and other delicate parts of the body. In the future, it could also be used to integrate synthetic skull plates or record signals from other tissues. According to the researchers, "This technology will help in the future to create such small and wireless devices, which can stay inside the body for a long time and monitor the activities of the brain and nervous system."