Speaker
Description
Traditionally, integrated electronic systems are designed for stable, long-lasting operations spanning decades; however, durable, permanent form factors are not always desirable for transient electronic medicine applications. Bioresorbable electronics systems represent a fundamentally different type of emerging technology designed to have specific lifetimes. During use or upon the application of external stimuli, these electronic systems safely disintegrate into the surrounding environment, either wholly or partially, in a controlled and programmed manner. This unique vanishing capability, made possible by various categories of resorbable conductors, semiconductors, insulator materials, and mechanical designs, is highly desirable for applications in bioelectronic medicine and eco-friendly electronics requiring dynamic mechanical compliance paired with high-performance electronic functionality.
Here, we introduce a compact, bioresorbable electronic system (BIC) designed to function within clinically relevant time frames (up to 1 month) under physiological magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) conditions. The system completely dissolves through natural biosorption mechanisms, eliminating the need for surgical removal. Modeling strategies (1) quantify shifts in resonance frequency caused by diffusion-driven dielectric changes in the surrounding environment and (2) evaluate local enhancements in the signal-to-noise ratio resulting from the coupling between the implant and magnetic resonance coils to track biological processes in biological tissue. Experimental validation involves implanting the devices to enhance imaging of phantoms and a human cadaver arm following surgical intervention. Imaging demonstrations in a nerve phantom and a human cadaver suggest that this technology holds significant potential for post-surgical monitoring and evaluating recovery processes through bio electromagnetics by tracking healing and repair mechanisms in biological tissues.
