Scientists have developed a new type of biosensor that can be injected directly into the bloodstream and move to the brain, where – according to the idea of the project – it will monitor nerve activity and even people’s thoughts.
Cell-sized nanosensors, called NeuroSWARM3, can cross the blood-brain barrier and, when they enter the brain, convert neural activity into electrical signals. These signals can be read and interpreted by machines, Futurism reported.
The development is the work of a team of scientists from the University of California at Santa Cruz and will be presented next week at a virtual conference. Researchers claim that technology can provide mobility for people with disabilities in addition to helping scientists better understand human thought. However, biosensors have not yet been tested on humans or even animals.
“NeuroSWARM3 can convert thought-accompanying signals into remotely measurable signals for high-precision brain-machine interaction,” study lead author A. Ali Yannick said in a press release.
According to him, “this will allow people suffering from physical disabilities to interact effectively with the outside world and control wearable exoskeletal technologies to overcome the limitations of the body.” The biosensor can also transmit early signals for neuronal diseases.
NeuroSWARM3 is a very different approach to solving brain-computer interface problems than most other developments, including Elon Musk’s Neuralink, which are based on implants instead of nanosensors.
During the tests, the team found that the nanosensor was sensitive enough to perceive the activity of individual brain cells. Single neuron reading is not new, but the ability to detect activities with free-floating sensors and especially to transmit wirelessly through a patient’s thick skull is an impressive technological development.
“We are only in the early stages of this new technology, but I think we have a good foundation to build on,” says Yannick. “Our next goal is to start experimenting with animals.”
New technology can simplify real-time neuroscience research and boost the development of neurological medicine.
