Graphene active sensor arrays for long-term and wireless mapping of wide frequency band epicortical brain activity

Graphene active sensors have demonstrated promising capabilities for the detection of electrophysiological signals in the brain. Their functional properties, together with their flexibility as well as their expected stability and biocompatibility have raised them as a promising building block for large-scale sensing neural interfaces. However, in order to provide reliable tools for neuroscience and biomedical engineering applications, the maturity of this technology must be thoroughly studied. Here, we evaluate the performance of 64-channel graphene sensor arrays in terms of homogeneity, sensitivity and stability using a wireless, quasi-commercial headstage and demonstrate the biocompatibility of epicortical graphene chronic implants. Furthermore, to illustrate the potential of the technology to detect cortical signals from infra-slow to high-gamma frequency bands, we perform proof-of-concept long-term wireless recording in a freely behaving rodent. Our work demonstrates the maturity of the graphene-based technology, which represents a promising candidate for chronic, wide frequency band neural sensing interfaces. Graphene active sensors have emerged as a promising building block for large-scale neural interfaces. The authors evaluate their performance in terms of wide frequency band sensitivity, stability and biocompatibility and perform proof-of-concept long-term wireless recording in a freely behaving rodent.

Automated summary

Graphene active sensors have emerged as a promising building block for large-scale neural interfaces, demonstrating good performance in wide frequency band sensitivity, stability, and biocompatibility. The authors performed proof-of-concept long-term wireless recording in a freely behaving rodent to illustrate the technology's potential to detect cortical signals from infra-slow to high-gamma frequency bands.