Each week, we highlight the news of the week in digital health. Find the titles that have made the buzz, the latest trends and innovations as well as the latest news in the field.
In the headlines: Next-generation implants will be biodegradable and non-invasive.
EPFL engineers have developed a neural interface that disappears harmlessly in the body after several months and allows natural tissue to grow back. What’s more, it can be implanted in a patient’s blood vessel rather than inside the brain, thereby avoiding the need for invasive surgery.
The purpose is to create a device that could be implanted without requiring a major operation like craniotomy. Conventional neural interfaces are placed directly in the brain, and the tiny electrodes they contain stimulate or record cerebral activity. These devices are used to treat Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy and compulsive disorders, for example, and to study the brain.
This opens up new possibilities for applications in neurotechnology and expands the range of patients who can benefit from them.
>> Discover all the latest news on digital health by reading your weekly newsletter HERE
>> Subscribe HERE