Printed neurons communicate with living brain cells

Key Points:

• Northwestern University engineers have developed flexible, low-cost artificial neurons using nanoscale materials that generate electrical signals realistic enough to activate living mouse brain cells, demonstrating advanced biocompatibility.
• These artificial neurons produce complex signaling patterns resembling real neurons, enabling more sophisticated functions and potentially reducing components needed in computing systems, thus improving energy efficiency.
• The technology, based on aerosol jet printing of molybdenum disulfide and graphene inks on flexible substrates, offers a new approach to brain-machine interfaces and neuroprosthetics, with applications in hearing, vision, and movement implants.
• Testing confirmed that the artificial neurons' electrical signals matched biological features, reliably triggering activity in real neurons, marking progress toward electronics that can communicate directly with the nervous system.
• This innovation addresses the high energy consumption of current AI hardware by mimicking the brain’s energy-efficient signaling, offering a sustainable path to more efficient computing and reducing environmental impacts of data centers.