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Fractal Electronics for Stimulating and Sensing Neural Networks: Enhanced Electrical, Optical, and Cell Interaction Properties

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The Fractal Geometry of the Brain

Part of the book series: Advances in Neurobiology ((NEUROBIOL,volume 36))

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Abstract

Imagine a world in which damaged parts of the body – an arm, an eye, and ultimately a region of the brain – can be replaced by artificial implants capable of restoring or even enhancing human performance. The associated improvements in the quality of human life would revolutionize the medical world and produce sweeping changes across society. In this chapter, we discuss several approaches to the fabrication of fractal electronics designed to interface with neural networks. We consider two fundamental functions – stimulating electrical signals in the neural networks and sensing the location of the signals as they pass through the network. Using experiments and simulations, we discuss the favorable electrical performances that arise from adopting fractal rather than traditional Euclidean architectures. We also demonstrate how the fractal architecture induces favorable physical interactions with the cells they interact with, including the ability to direct the growth of neurons and glia to specific regions of the neural–electronic interface.

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Acknowledgments

RPT is a Cottrell Scholar of the Research Council for Science Advancement. This research was supported (RPT) by the W. M. Keck Foundation, the Living Legacy Foundation, the Ciminelli Foundation, and the University of Oregon, and (MTP) by the Swedish Research Council (# 2016-03757), NanoLund at Lund University, Stiftelsen för Synskadade if.d. Malmöhus Län, Crown Princess Margareta’s Committee for the Blind. We thank M. Pluth (University of Oregon) for providing the opportunity and training for the fluorescence microscopy imaging system. Microscopy instrumentation was supported by the NSF (CHE-1531189). We thank C.M.Niell (University of Oregon) for his collaboration in the discussion of the results, B. Aleman, D. Miller, and K. Zappitelli (University of Oregon) for their contributions to the development of the VACNT synthesis process. The CN California Polytechnic State University T thin films were fabricated by L.A. Browning in collaboration with N.O.V. Plank (Victoria University, Wellington, New Zealand) and imaged by M. P. Dierkes (California Polytechnic State University).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Physics Department, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA

    S. Moslehi, C. Rowland, J. H. Smith, W. J. Watterson, W. Griffiths, R. D. Montgomery, S. Philliber & R. P. Taylor

  2. Physics Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA, USA

    C. A. Marlow

  3. Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Division of Ophthalmology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden

    M.-T. Perez

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  1. S. Moslehi
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  2. C. Rowland
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  3. J. H. Smith
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  9. M.-T. Perez
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  10. R. P. Taylor
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Correspondence to R. P. Taylor .

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  1. Computational NeuroSurgery (CNS) Lab & Macquarie Neurosurgery Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Human and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia

    Antonio Di Ieva

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Moslehi, S. et al. (2024). Fractal Electronics for Stimulating and Sensing Neural Networks: Enhanced Electrical, Optical, and Cell Interaction Properties. In: Di Ieva, A. (eds) The Fractal Geometry of the Brain. Advances in Neurobiology, vol 36. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-47606-8_43

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