Sensing and Stimulating Electrodes for Electroceuticals

Abstract

Electroceuticals is an emerging field that combines the technology in conductive materials with their ability to interface with biological systems. The development of highly conductive electrodes to monitor human health in real-time while simultaneously delivering stimulation promises to revolutionize medical science. Aspects to consider during development include the desired shape, electrode material properties, number of active sites, carriers used, and methods of deployment and activation. Novel organic-conductor based electrode compositions offer properties unattainable with conventional metal electrodes. Emerging innovative deployment strategies communicate directly with target tissues while minimizing damage to the surrounding biological environment. Here we highlight the recent reported technology on platinized graphene fibers (sutrode), a high performance electrode, capable of recording electrophysiological signals from small autonomic nerves, which could bring us closer to the ultimate goal: modulating the activity of individual organs with high selectivity and precision for a therapeutic medical outcome. An in-depth understanding of electrode materials and methods of fabrication and deployment can provide unprecedented opportunities for electroceutical research.