Wireless power and communication open new horizons for brain research… DGIST develops a wireless brain neural signal recorder

□ Professor Jang Kyung-in of the Department of Robotics and Mechanical Electronics at DGIST (President Kunwoo Lee) has successfully developed a fully embedded wireless brain neural signal recorder in collaboration with a research team led by Lee Young-jeon of the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience & Biotechnology (President Kim Jang-seong). This innovative technology enables real-time recording of brain neural signals generated by the instinctive behaviors of primates, utilizing wireless power transmission and communication without the need for batteries. The research team implanted the wireless brain neural recorder into the brain of a non-human primate—specifically, an experimental monkey—and successfully measured brain neural signals during natural behaviors, such as eating food or snacks, while the monkey moved freely over a one-month period.

□ Traditional brain neural signal recorders are limited by their reliance on wired connections, which constrain experimental environments, or by the need for reoperation to replace discharged batteries. However, Professor Jang’s team has developed the world’s first wireless brain neural signal recorder capable of covertly measuring brain neural signals without disrupting the natural behaviors of non-human primates. This recorder utilizes wireless power transmission and communication without the need for both batteries and wired connections.

□ The newly developed brain neural signal recorder is part of the brain engineering platform technology that enables the study of instinctive behaviors in primates. It facilitates the analysis of the relationship between brain activity and behavior in human-like non-human primates. Notably, the system includes three-dimensional porous electrodes for precise neural signal measurement in deep brain regions, a flexible neural probe, and a biodegradable insertion shuttle for safe implantation. This is expected to make substantial contributions to the study of brain neural circuits.

□ This groundbreaking technology has garnered attention as a pioneering innovation developed in Korea, positioning it alongside advancements made by Neuralink in the United States and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne. While Neuralink demonstrated the ability to make primates play games using only their thoughts and the Swiss institute enabled paraplegic primates to walk, this Korean technology offers a novel capability: the recording and control of brain neural activity in non-human primates.

□ The technology incorporates wireless power transmission and communication to enable continuous neural signal recording with minimal interference. Additionally, artificial intelligence-based neural signal analysis is applied to enhance its capabilities. This advancement holds immense potential for preclinical trials of electronic drug technologies aimed at treating intractable and degenerative brain diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease, paving the way for future therapeutic applications.

□ “We have developed a technology that can wirelessly measure brain neural signals in a natural state, allowing non-human primates to remain unaware of the neural signal recorder implanted in their brains,” said Professor Jang. “By refining this technology for universal application in preclinical and clinical trials, we hope to contribute to the treatment of various intractable brain diseases, including Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease, which continue to pose significant challenges with current biomedical engineering technologies.”

□ This research was jointly conducted by Professor Jang Kyung-in’s team from DGIST (Ph.D. student Oh Se-hyuck and integrated master's and doctoral student Jekal Jang-hwan) and Senior Researcher Lee Young-jeon's team at the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience & Biotechnology (postdoctoral researcher Won Jin-young). It was funded by the STEAM Research Project (Global Convergence Research Support) and the Nano and Material Technology Development Project of the Korea Research Foundation under the Ministry of Science and ICT. The findings were published in the November issue of Nature Biomedical Engineering, a leading international journal in the biomedical field. Professor Jang is currently working on commercializing the brain chip technology through his faculty startup, Enside, while pursuing international partnerships with Harvard University and MIT to globalize this cutting-edge innovation.

- Corresponding Author E-mail Address : kijang@dgist.ac.kr