"The soft, flexible device sits under the scalp but on top of the skull, where it delivers precise patterns of light through the bone to activate neurons across the cortex. In experiments, scientists used the device's tiny, patterned bursts of light to activate specific populations of neurons deep inside the brains of mouse models. (These neurons are genetically modified to respond to light.) The mice quickly learned to interpret these patterns as meaningful signals, which they could recognize and use."
"Our brains are constantly turning electrical activity into experiences, and this technology gives us a way to tap into that process directly. This platform lets us create entirely new signals and see how the brain learns to use them. It brings us just a little bit closer to restoring lost senses after injuries or disease while offering a window into the basic principles that allow us to perceive the world."
A soft, flexible wireless implant sits under the scalp on top of the skull and delivers patterned light through bone to activate cortical neurons. The device produces tiny, targeted bursts of light that penetrate the skull to stimulate specific neuronal populations, including genetically light-sensitive neurons. Animals learned to interpret these light patterns as meaningful signals and used them to guide behavior without relying on natural touch, sight, or sound. The platform bypasses peripheral sensory pathways to create artificial sensory information. Potential applications include sensory feedback for prosthetic limbs, visual and auditory prostheses, pain modulation, stroke rehabilitation, and brain-controlled robotics.
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