Functionality Evaluation of Photo-definable Polyimide, Flexible Interface for the Central Nervous System

The success of implantable technologies to generate advancements in biorobotics or neuroprosthetics hinges on the development of a multichannel electrode array capable of one or two way communication with a large number of neurons at high channel fidelity over very long implant durations. While a large number of conductive materials have been developed as candidate materials for a long-term neural interface, very few meet the strict requirements of the unique bio-chemical-mechanical environment of the brain. In particular, one of the common shortfalls seems to be in the inflexible materials often chosen for such devices, despite the common knowledge that the brain itself is a very ´soft´ viscoelastic environment. In an effort to improve long-term performance of cortical implants, we present a design-based strategy that includes finite-element modeling of a mechanically flexible tissue/device interface