Science Advances detailed the fibers.
Here are five things to know:
1. The fibers have the ability to stretch while delivering optical impulses and electron connections.
2. The researchers integrated a transparent elastomer with a mesh of silver nanowire coating.
3. The fibers serve as a “multimodal interface with mechanical properties compatible with tissues, for neural stimulation and recording,” explained MIT graduate student Chi Lu.
4. Since the spinal cord experiences a stretch of about 12 percent during normal movement, researchers sought to create a material with similar stretchiness, softness and flexibility as the spinal cord.
5. The researchers hope to use this material to one day fight spinal cord injury, but they must first enhance the material’s biocompatibility to “withstand the stresses in the spinal cord without causing any damage,” said Polina Anikeeva, PhD, a MIT professor.
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