Wang Shengjie, Yan Xuan, Jiao Xuefeng, Yang Heng
Beijing Key Laboratory of Lightweight Multi-Functional Composite Materials and Structures, Institute of Advanced Structure Technology, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China.
Materials (Basel). 2024 May 14;17(10):2334. doi: 10.3390/ma17102334.
Brain-computer interface (BCI) technology is currently a cutting-edge exploratory problem in the field of human-computer interaction. However, in experiments involving the implantation of electrodes into brain tissue, particularly high-speed or array implants, existing technologies find it challenging to observe the damage in real time. Considering the difficulties in obtaining biological brain tissue and the challenges associated with real-time observation of damage during the implantation process, we have prepared a transparent agarose gel that closely mimics the mechanical properties of biological brain tissue for use in electrode implantation experiments. Subsequently, we developed an experimental setup for synchronized observation of the electrode implantation process, utilizing the Digital Gradient Sensing (DGS) method. In the single electrode implantation experiments, with the increase in implantation speed, the implantation load increases progressively, and the tissue damage region around the electrode tip gradually diminishes. In the array electrode implantation experiments, compared to a single electrode, the degree of tissue indentation is more severe due to the coupling effect between adjacent electrodes. As the array spacing increases, the coupling effect gradually diminishes. The experimental results indicate that appropriately increasing the velocity and array spacing of the electrodes can enhance the likelihood of successful implantation. The research findings of this article provide valuable guidance for the damage assessment and selection of implantation parameters during the process of electrode implantation into real brain tissue.
脑机接口（BCI）技术是目前人机交互领域的一个前沿探索性问题。然而，在涉及将电极植入脑组织的实验中，特别是高速或阵列植入时，现有技术难以实时观察到损伤情况。考虑到获取生物脑组织的困难以及在植入过程中实时观察损伤的挑战，我们制备了一种透明琼脂糖凝胶，其机械性能与生物脑组织非常相似，用于电极植入实验。随后，我们开发了一种利用数字梯度传感（DGS）方法同步观察电极植入过程的实验装置。在单电极植入实验中，随着植入速度的增加，植入负荷逐渐增大，电极尖端周围的组织损伤区域逐渐减小。在阵列电极植入实验中，与单电极相比，由于相邻电极之间的耦合效应，组织压痕程度更严重。随着阵列间距的增加，耦合效应逐渐减弱。实验结果表明，适当提高电极的速度和阵列间距可以提高植入成功的可能性。本文的研究结果为将电极植入真实脑组织过程中的损伤评估和植入参数选择提供了有价值的指导。
